Absolutely Maybe
by forrealrightnow
Summary: Quinn loved a challenge. That's why she was a stage manager, so when she was presented with a difficult job that would send her career on an accelerated path to success, she took it without a doubt. She knew everything about it would be tough, but she was ready for a demanding summer in New Hampshire. At least, that's what she thought. Quite AU. Glee characters mixed with original.
1. Challenge Number 1

**Brief disclaimer that everyone already knows: I don't own these characters. Some of them I do because I made them up, but the ones you're here for, not mine. They belong to that fool Ryan Murphy.**

* * *

Actors.

Why actors?

There were twenty-five interns. Twenty-five! Why the hell did she have to live with the acting interns? It mattered the amount of zero to her that they were the only female interns besides one of her assistant stage managers.

_She_ wasn't even an intern!

Quinn loved actors, she really did, but merely in a professional setting when they were being professional... for the most part. What made the Artistic Director think that she wanted to live with people she was going to have to spend hours and hours of rehearsal with.

Actors are crazy. This is the exact reason why Quinn kept very few of them in her circle of association. She could actually count on one hand how many of her friends were actors. Two. Somehow, by the crazy graces of the theatre gods, both of them were going to be with her. Really the only reason why they were friends was because they'd always been friends. Even when Quinn went off to Emerson College in Boston and they moved to New York to pursue their dreams, they stayed friends. Best friends actually.

It was Santana that had gotten her this gig. She and Brittany had gone to an internship fair one day and brought along copies of Quinn's very impressive Stage Management resumé. The moment the Artistic Director laid eyes on her resumé she called her and requested to meet her in person. She told her she could pass through Boston on her way back up to New Hampshire where she lived and where her Equity Summer Stock theatre was located.

All Quinn had to hear was the word Equity and she was in.

Equity points were like gold to actors and stage managers who were just getting into "the Business." The only thing better was actual money. Actors' Equity Association was the dream. It meant better jobs, health insurance and rehearsal regulations. It meant that you could survive out there. Quinn's professors made it quite clear in all four of the years that she'd been at Emerson that the Theater World was a cruel and unforgiving one. Her advisor also made it clear that as soon as she could start earning Equity points, she should do it. Even if it meant a summer of stock or bitch work as an ASM at a regional theater.

She'd already gotten some points doing the bitch work at A.R.T. in Boston. So why not try some summer stock?

The interview went swimmingly. She was hired on the spot as the actual stage manager. Not as an intern, but as _the_ stage manager. She was getting housing, a pay check AND Equity points... enough points that combined with her other points, she'd have her Equity card by the end of the summer.

There was no way she was going to pass up this opportunity. This job put her list of goals set way ahead of schedule. It also postponed her move to New York City, but now when she got there in September she would already be in the union with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Emerson and a second professional credit on her resumé.

For all of this, she owed Santana. She owed Santana _a lot_. Like, using her new, slim connection in the company a lot.

A tactful good word during the audition was really all she could do. She wasn't even actually _at_ the audition. She was stage managing the auditions from her dorm through the camera on her computer. Administering proper breaks and managing a runner from behind a screen was not an easy task, but proving that she could do it only justified her being hired in the first place.

She didn't tell Santana or Brittany that they were going to be seeing her face on the table when they were auditioning, but there she was. Surprise! They each handled it well and for their parts, they each auditioned really well. They were fantastic actually. Quinn barely had to say anything about them during the discussion. The choreographer wanted Brittany to be the dance captain for the musical and both of the directors wanted Santana to be an understudy in both of their shows. There was only one other girl that was wanted by both directors, everyone else that was cast as ensemble were compromises.

Quinn might have been a little shocked that _both_ directors wanted Santana... the other show in stock was a Shakespeare... not necessarily Santana's forte. Not that she wasn't talented or couldn't handle it, she just wasn't the most... classical.

Whatever! Her best friends were going to be with her all summer! In the same house!

The only problem: Santana and Brittany were together. Like, _together_ together. Like, Quinn equals third wheel, together. Like, if it's two to a bedroom, Quinn gets a random roommate, together.

Still, they were definitely going to be her sane oasis in a desert of cray cray. Quinn could tell by the auditions that that was going to be the case.

That other girl that both directors wanted, she was going to be the worst. Quinn just knew it. She had crazy diva written all over her. She walked in with tea. If she'd been in the room, Quinn probably would have smelled the lemon, honey and whatever crazy herbs singers consumed. There was probably a Smart Water in her bag, too. And a pitch pipe. And a portable, battery operated, vaporizer. Anything possible to make her voice absolute, pure perfection.

Unfortunately, her voice _was_ pure perfection.

Talented people generally know that they're talented. It's awful. It's as if their talent justifies their horrendous behavior.

Multiply that by six and Quinn was positive that the most difficult thing about this summer wasn't going to be stage managing for two different directors and two different shows at once, but living with nine other girls, six of them performers.

Quinn was always up for a challenge, but this summer was definitely going to be extra challenging.

* * *

**A/N: I know that was a whole bunch of expositional nothing, but I promise things get better. Some things just had to come out first for other things to make sense, that's why I've posted two chapters at once. So, please, please stick with me for a little bit, I already have several chapters written and for those of you who have followed some of my other stuff, you know that I like to be ahead of my readers.**

**A/N 2: For those of you that have followed my other stuff yet again: I know I've promised a bunch of other things. Just, bare with me. I'm sure some of you got the email and were like, "WTF is this?! Faberry?" Umm... it's been stuck in my head like a Taylor Swift song and just needs to be out. I'm going to get back to all that stuff I promised... I promise. I hope you enjoy this in the meantime...?**


	2. Challenge Number 2

Difficult part of the summer #2:

Moving everything.

Quinn had to fit everything she had with her in her dorm into her car, drive it to New York City, put some of it in a storage unit she was sharing with Santana and Brittany, put the rest of it in their apartment where she was going to live when she came back, then pack up her car with _all_ the stuff that they were bringing for the summer and drive back north to New Hampshire.

It was going to be a two day effort.

From Boston to New York was about four hours without traffic and if she was speeding... she would definitely be driving at an illegal level of miles per hour. Then there was all of the hullabaloo that was going to be driving _and _parking in the city and getting her shit out of her car. Twice.

What. A. Mess.

Seriously, shit was a mess.

She called Santana as soon as she was in sight of the city to tell her how progress was going.

"Hey Q..."

"What's wrong?" Quinn knew the tone that she was receiving and she didn't like it. She'd already been in the car for five hours, hearing bad news was not what she wanted at the moment.

"Um, you're going to have to swing by the apartment..."

"What?"

"We had to change the lock on the storage unit. Britt kind of, sort of flushed our key down the toilet," Santana sounded like she actually felt bad, an unusual stance for the usually remorseless Latina.

It didn't matter, "Why did you change the lock? You could have waited for me to get there and _then_ changed it!"

"We- oh. Shit... I didn't even think of that."

"Of course you didn't!" Quinn let out a blatantly frustrated growl, checked her blind spot and cut some probably suspecting New Yorker off. As soon as she heard the horn she screamed "Fuck you, too!"

"Oh this is going to be the most fun twenty-four hours of my life," Santana snarked on the other end.

"It still has potential," Quinn snarled, "You have to come to the storage unit with me, though."

"If it means you'll chill out, yes ma'am!"

"I'll see you when I'm double parked outside your apartment in a still pending amount of minutes," Quinn said as she checked her other blind spot to change lanes yet again.

"Seriously, Q, take your time," Santana said in the voice she used when she was seriously concerned, "And pull over to change your GPS."

"I'm working on it," Quinn said cringing at the sign saying the next exit was for the Bronx.

"Okay, good-"

"We can't wait to see you, Quinn!" Brittany's voice came through the speaker clearly.

"I can't wait to see you guys either," Quinn responded honestly, despite the mess she was dealing with, "I have to go though, I need all my attention for the Bronx."

"Careful, Q! Jaywalking is an epidemic up there!"

"Thanks, S," Quinn laughed as she stopped at a light and looked around for place to pull in and change the destination on her GPS, "I really have to go though."

"Kay! Call when you're outside!"

"Duh! Bye!"

"Bye!" she heard two voices yelling into the phone and let them be the ones to disconnect, simply throwing her phone onto the pile of stuff on her passenger seat.

She spotted a grocery store with a parking lot _and_ its own traffic light to make her getaway hastier. After locating Santana and Brittany's Morningside address in her phone, she punched it into her GPS and waited for it to calculate.

It took her longer than she wanted to, but eventually she made it to West 125th St and Morningside Ave, where she had to double park just like she thought she would. Then it took her three very stressful minutes to get _just_ Santana to come down. She didn't have time or space for both of them. There wasn't even really any space for one of them.

"The fuck _is_ all this shit? And why couldn't your parents help you again?" Santana yelled over the din of the traffic on West 125th Street once she opened the passenger door to find nowhere to sit.

"One: Everything that I didn't throw away," Quinn said through labored breath as she attempted to clear off the passenger seat, "And two: because they suck. I'm lucky they flew in for my graduation. There," she managed to get it down to just soft goods on the seat.

Santana just stood in the street looking between the crap on the seat and Quinn, with her arms crossed and her weight shifted to one leg.

"Get. In. The Car! Santana! I will find a way to get you fired before you even start, if you don't get your bitch ass in here," Quinn yelled, smacking the steering wheel for good measure.

"Right. Got it," she practically tripped over herself to get in the car after that. Quinn would never do it, but it was still scary.

Quinn just laughed as she pulled out and up to the light.

"You're gonna take a left onto Amsterdam," Santana said as she was trying to figure out how to get her seatbelt on.

Still laughing, Quinn said, "You know I would never do that, right?"

"I know, but powerful Stage Manager Quinn is still a little scary to me. More scary than Head Cheerleader Quinn," finally Santana was settled onto the seat, "Actually, Head Cheerleader Quinn wasn't even scary."

"Hey!"

"What? I was the scary one, remember? You were the brain, I was the muscle and Brittany was... um..."

"Redemption. _She_ was the reason people still liked us after graduation."

"It wasn't my anti-bullying campaign?" Santana was clearly joking, but Quinn still couldn't resist giving her the 'really?' face. After a little laughter, Santana became navigator again, "It's just a few more blocks away."

"How did you guys get your stuff to this place without a car?" Quinn was just curious about random things.

"We have a friend with a pickup truck. He lives in Brooklyn where parking a little bit more feasible. It's right up here," she said pointing ahead of them out the windshield, "Pull in that little driveway."

"I'm surprised you two leave the apartment enough to have friends," Quinn snarked. Every time she spoke to them it seemed like she was _interrupting_ something.

"Ha. Ha. Fabray," Santana deadpanned, "0-6-1-2. I didn't pick it. That's our unit number."

"It just so happens to be when we graduated from high school?"

"And a math equation. Brittany actually pointed that out first," Santana smiled brightly, clearly proud of her girlfriend. Quinn just rolled her eyes and drove on. "There's this kind of loading dock thing. We can get a cart there, load up all the stuff you're putting in here then bring it up."

Once they pulled up to said loading dock, they unloaded about eighty-five percent of the contents of the vehicle onto two carts and proceeded to the storage unit. The only reason they even needed this, was because they were subletting their apartment for the summer. Some things you just don't leave behind, even when you know your sub-letters.

"Hey, I have a bed, right?" Quinn asked as they pulled down the door to the unit.

"Yeah, they delivered it yesterday. A few packages came, too."

"Great. I can put the protective covering on the mattress."

"The what?" Santana scoffed as the got out of the elevator.

"Umm... I don't know this person that you found to sublet from me and tomorrow is the first and last time I'm going to see her," Quinn held up a finger and quirked up her eyebrow.

"I didn't find a skank to sublet from you. I've known her since freshman year. We've been in like, nearly every class together since. _And_ she like, doesn't have sex. She's one of those crazy, 'not until marriage' freaks that have no idea what they're missing. Love her, but she's weird for it. I'm sorry," Santana waved her hand in front of her and shook her head.

"Thank you," Quinn smiled over the car, paused for a second to take in her best friend who was smiling back, then got into the car.

"I got your back, Q. Just like I'm gonna have your back this summer and get you laid," Santana said it as if that's what they were talking about all along.

"Um... what?"

"A year is _way_ too long, Quinn. It is fifty-two weeks, three-hundred-sixty-five and a quarter days, eight-thousand-seven-hundred-sixty hours-"

"Don't give me the minutes. I know how many minutes measure a year. Thank you, Jonathan Larson," Quinn huffed as she threw the car into drive.

"Well, then you are fully aware of how unnecessarily long it's been since you got some," Santana pursed her lips.

"You're unnecessary."

"I beg to differ."

"Why did I tell you that?"

"Because you want me to help you, duh!" Santana shrugged her shoulders and then pointed in the direction Quinn needed to go to get back to the apartment... or at least somewhere to park near the apartment.

"I'm going to be _so_ busy. I'm not going to have time for a sex life," just saying it was typically the way to go about things with Santana.

"If you keep getting good jobs like this, you're never going to have time for one. Maybe you'll learn how to fit one in. Otherwise, you're gonna be that bitch stage manager that no one wants to talk to. Your cast deputy isn't even going to want to talk to you. You _need_ that sucker to talk to you," Santana was pushing really weird buttons. They were also working. Mostly because Quinn was confused at how Santana knew exactly what stressed her out a stage manager: when people didn't talk to her. "You aren't going to be _that_ busy. It won't be like school. You're just stage managing. You aren't going to rehearsal six nights a week and keeping up your GPA. You'll have time."

"Who are you? What have you done with the Santana that doesn't pay attention to shit like that?"

"I'm an actress, observance is my job."

"Gross."

Santana just smiled sweetly and said, "I'm going to be the best wing-woman you've ever had."

"Unfortunately, you get that title by default," Quinn smiled sarcastically.

"Aaaah! Park there!" Santana forgot what was going on inside the car and lunged out of it to stand in the open space on the side of the street.

Luckily for Quinn, living in Boston with her car for four years perfected her parallel parking skills. She was in the spot on the first try.

"Hey, what time did you want to leave tomorrow?" Santana asked as she looked up towards a sign.

"Early," Quinn answered simply.

"How early?" she was still looking at the sign.

"Like... four-ish..." Quinn winced, waiting for Santana to freak out in the middle of the sidewalk.

She simply shrugged and said, "Way before the street cleaner."

"You're not gonna tell me that's crazy?" Quinn was still wincing, thinking it just hadn't hit Santana yet.

"No! There will be seven other girls in that house. I want dibs on a good room, with my lady friend and close to my best friend. If you hadn't suggested that, I was going to!"

Quinn slung her backpack over shoulder, pointed to a black garbage bag for Santana to grab, and picked up a box, "As long as I don't have to room with whoever is the craziest."

"You know that you aren't going to be able to figure that out right away," Santana said as she shut the trunk of Quinn's car.

"Oh, don't worry, I think I already figured this one out."

Quinn was absolutely positive of it.

* * *

**A/N: Okay... what do you think so far? Gonna stick around to see what's happening? I hope so... and now I'm going to stop before I turn into one of those authors that annoy the crap out of me. Okay, love ya, bye!**


	3. The Move

Six hours.

That's how long it took to drive from Harlem to New Hampshire. And like, the middle of New Hampshire. So like, _in_ New Hampshire. It wasn't like they could just hop the border and be somewhere else for the night, they were trapped in New Hampshire for three months.

The drive felt a little longer that six hours. The car was packed with stuff and bodies and for the first hour, one of the bodies was cranky because the driver wouldn't let her and her girlfriend sit in the back together.

"I am not a chauffeur!" Quinn yelled at the top of her lungs at 4AM on 121st Street.

Brittany got in the front seat and Santana sat in the back with a bunch of bags full of clothing. The seating arrangement remained for the duration of the road trip even when they made pit stops. Eventually Santana cooled off, but she was still giving Quinn shit about her sex life... or lack there of. At least she did until Brittany threatened to end theirs if it didn't stop. It stopped.

It was really smooth sailing when _No Such Thing_ by John Mayer came through the Pandora station they were listening to. All three of them were screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs as they breezed up I-91. They were all smiles from there and didn't even argue about what crummy fast food place they should stop at.

Leaving at four was perfect. They beat rush hour and when they were in rush hour, they were going the opposite way of the commuters. So, when they rolled up to the house at 10AM, they were the first people to arrive at their house. Complete and utter success. They weren't the first to arrive in the Company owned cul-de-sac, but that mattered none. They had first dibs in their house!

They got to pick whatever rooms they wanted!

Quinn backed her car into the extra wide driveway and as soon as he car was in park, they were all scrambling to get to the front door that none of them had a key to.

"You're going to need these," a voice that they'd all heard before came from behind them. They turned around in complete sync on the porch to find Jean Hart, the Artistic Director of the company standing in the walkway holding out a ring of keys, "Happy to see that you're all so excited."

"It's a great opportunity," Santana kissed as much ass as she could and smiled disgustingly huge.

"Glad you feel that way, Miss Lopez," Jean said as she walked up the stairs, fumbling with the big ring of keys, "Here's one freed key."

"Thanks," Quinn took the offering and waited.

"Go on! I'm sure your excitement is for first dibs," Jean knew exactly what was up.

The three girls smiled between themselves, then Quinn turned rapidly for the door, grinding the key into the lock and pushing it open. Clambering through the door, the three of them stumbled into the living room where they found a two couches and a flat screen TV on the wall.

Through laughter, Jean shouted, "Two bedrooms upstairs, one on this floor and two downstairs. All of them have two beds. Only the upstairs ones have non-bunked beds!"

Once again the girls looked between each other, then made a bee-line for the stairs which were diagonally to their left. They climbed up the echoing hardwood staircase and stared into the bathroom located directly across from them. To their left and right were the two bunk bed-less bedrooms.

They chose the left first.

They found a fairly open space with two twin beds on either side. When they turned to the left they were met with a little nook containing a dresser. There was another dresser straight across from the door and to the left of that, another door. They could see exactly what on the other side of that door: A deck. There was a second story deck attached to this room.

"Dibs! Britt and I call dibs!" Santana yelled out then turned around and yanked the keys out of the door knob, already claiming it as theirs.

"We haven't even seen the other one yet," Quinn tried protesting.

"Don't care. Go check out your room. We have to figure out where to put the beds... together," Santana was already rearranging the room in her head, pointing to things and squinting her eyes.

"I'll come look with you," Brittany offered and took Quinn's hand to drag her across the hall.

"Thanks, Britt."

Quinn liked the room before she walked in. The walls were dark. Dark blue to be specific. She'd always found dark colors soothing. Once she was inside, she was _really_ glad that Santana had already staked her claim on the other room.

This one was perfect.

Just like the other room, this one spanned the entire width of the house. Located in the front of the house, this room contained the two windows that jutted out of the roof leaving two eaves, perfect for two separate beds and a little privacy. Whoever she was stuck sharing with, was going to have her own space and she could stay out of Quinn's stuff. There were also two closets in this room. Even more private space.

Without even knowing it, Santana had done Quinn another solid.

"This room is so cool, Q," Brittany said as she walked towards one of the windows.

"I know," Quinn was too busy smiling and thinking about where she was going to put her stuff to say much else.

"You would have gotten this one even if Santana had seen it. It's too apart for us," Brittany shrugged and then brushed past Quinn to go back across the hall, "Ooo! Here you go!"

Quinn felt tapping on her shoulder and when she turned around, a flash of silver was in her eyes. After blinking it away, she grabbed the key from Brittany and flashed her gaze down to the door to see that Brittany had managed to get the keys apart and stick the other one back in the door without her even noticing.

"Hey! Let's get our shit then go to like, Target or something. I need some stuff... like a toothbrush," Santana said leaning onto the door frame, "Bitchin' space, Q! Bet you're glad I called dibs on the other one."

"I am. Thanks," Quinn smiled, "Umm... I'm all about getting our stuff, but I don't think I want to leave until everyone else gets here..."

"Once your stuff is in here, no one is going to take your spot," Santana shifted her weight onto one leg, crossing her arms and shaking her head in annoyance.

"That's not what I'm worried about," Quinn snarled back.

"She's worried about having to room with the girl she's convince is crazy even though she's never even actually met her," Brittany informed her girlfriend of what Quinn thought was the obvious. However, Quinn had come to learn that if Brittany was the one who understood and not Santana, it wasn't the obvious.

"Oh... you know what, she probably won't want to live upstairs. Too much risk climbing the stairs," Santana snarked, then threw her head back in laughter. Quinn joined in immediately.

"You two are the worst," Brittany rolled her eyes and turned out of the room.

"Oh come on, Britt, we're joking," Quinn called out to the blonde who was already downstairs.

"She'll get over it," Santana turned around, "Let's get our stuff. Or at least unlock the car so I can get my stuff."

Quinn followed Santana down the stairs. Beyond the din of the hardwood stairs, they could hear two voices they'd never heard before and two they had. When they got to the living room, they were introduced to the two new people immediately.

"Ah, here they are," Jean waved them towards her, "This is Tina Cohen-Chang," she gestured to the Asian girl wearing a lot of black, "and this is Mercedes Jones," she then gestured to the black girl dressed in much brighter colors. "This is Santana Lopez and this is your stage manager, Quinn Fabray."

"It's a pleasure," Tina reached her hand out to Quinn first as Mercedes and Santana exchanged their pleasantries.

"All mine," Quinn responded as her hand was gripped loosely and not shaken at all.

Tina: Awful handshake.

"Quinn?" Mercedes seemed to be clarifying her name.

"That's me," she smiled, "It's nice to meet you, Mercedes."

"Thank you, nice to meet you, too," Mercedes said with a warm smile and a full handed handshake.

Mercedes: There's a diva in there somewhere.

"I'm assuming you guys took the upstairs rooms already," Mercedes pursed her lips and put her hands on her hips.

Mercedes: Definite diva.

"Yup, sure did," Santana gave her best 'Ha. Bitch.' smile.

"We left Harlem at four AM," Brittany jumped in, probably sensing the hostility in her girlfriend.

"Well then, you deserve first pick," Tina laughed a little.

Tina: a little compassion.

"We were just going to grab our stuff," Quinn said trying to make the move to the door.

"By all means," Jean moved out of the doorway to allow the girls to pass.

As they did, Mercedes called out, "We should all hang out tonight and get to know each other."

"That sounds great!" Brittany answered for them all before Quinn and Santana could have a say.

That was the last thing Quinn wanted. They had all damn summer to get to know each other. There was no point in rushing things. Silently, she fumed all the way to the car. She took her anger out on the trunk, yanking it open so hard that it slammed back down with a crash.

"What's your deal?" Santana asked from the safe distance of the length of the car.

Quinn merely scowled and reopened the trunk.

"Come on, Quinn, it'll be fun. Maybe we can get all of the houses together," Brittany suggested from a not-so-safe distance.

"Yeah, doesn't one of the other ones have techies in it? You know, your people?" Santana asked inching closer to where her stuff was: the trunk.

"One: no one who works in technical theater outside of high school likes to be called a 'techie,'" Quinn snapped her head beyond the trunk to give Santana the angry and annoyed look she deserved, "Two: they are not my people. No one is my people. And three: _you_ don't want to hang out with these people either!" She didn't even have to ask to know that was a fact. Actually, if she knew Santana at all, she had probably planned on christening her new room with Brittany.

"When have I ever cared what people _like_ to be called?" Santana snarked.

"And we're you're people," Brittany seized the moment to prove Quinn incorrect.

"And I can get my mack on at any time," Santana was now next to Brittany and letting her eyes drag up and down her girlfriend's body.

With a groan, Quinn returned her attention to the contents of the trunk and began hauling out Santana and Brittany's things, not caring what was going on the ground.

"Ah! San! Don't let her put Raff on the ground! He's a germophobe!" Brittany shrieked.

Quinn's eyes instantly met with the stuffed giraffe that Brittany was referring to and sighed. She picked it up and before Santana could yank it out of her hands, she hugged it to her chest, sighing again, "You are my people."

"Damn straight, Fabray," Santana smiled.

"Quinn! You're strangling him!" Brittany lunged forward and released Raff from Quinn's grasp.

Not having the heart to say to her that it was impossible to strangle a stuffed animal, Quinn simply said, "I'm sorry, Brittany."

"I think you should apologize to Raff," Santana said with a smug smile.

"You can't be ser-"

"Yeah, I think he'd like an apology," Brittany pouted and held the giraffe out at arms length to Quinn.

If anyone else had asked Quinn to tell a stuffed giraffe that she was sorry for doing something that she never could have actually accomplished, she would have outright laughed in their face. This was Brittany, though; the other half of her team of best friends. The half that mixed up words and often took figures of speech literally. She was impossible to be angry with and even though she felt absolutely ridiculous about it, she would do things like apologize to inanimate objects. She took a deep breath and exhaled, "I'm sorry for nearly strangling you, Raff," and for good measure planted a kiss on his nose.

"He accepts your apology, but would appreciate it if you would cease and desist your sexual advances," Brittany relayed the message with complete seriousness.

As Quinn laughed, she turned her eyes to Santana who was staring at Brittany with nothing but complete adoration. Her laughter slipped away as the feeling of jealousy crept up. It was an emotion that arose without fail every time she was around her best friends.

Right then she hated how right Santana had been the day before and that morning.

"Let's get our shit out of the car and go on a New Hampshire exploration," Quinn suggested as she attempted to shake away the unwanted green.

"Ooo! Yes!" Brittany tucked Raff under her arm and clapped.

"Not worried about the Crazy?" Santana smirked as she started to grab some of the things Quinn had already placed on the ground.

"Eh, she'll probably think that the elevation of a second story bedroom will ruin her vocal cords," Quinn let out a laugh as she pulled one of her bags free.

"You're worse than me," Santana chuckled and let the way back towards the house.

Quinn rolled her eyes as she followed, "I'm probably right, though."

* * *

**A/N: Hello again. I'm writing this as fast as I can. Seriously, every free moment I have is being spent on this. I don't have very many free moments, though. I'm contemplating posting chapter 4 tonight, too. Maybe in a couple hours. Later!**


	4. Normal

For three girls that were used to the constant motion that was city life, New Hampshire was the slowest thing they'd ever experienced. It was like no one had anything to do! In what world do people not have anything to do? And everyone drove the speed limit, which for some reason was 30 MPH like, everywhere.

They found a Target for Santana to get a toothbrush and for all of them to find things that they remembered they forgot once they saw them. Two hours later they each had three red and white bags and grumbling, hungry stomachs. From there they drove across the street to a chain restaurant that Brittany and Santana had never been to due to its New England exclusivity.

They should have known the meal was going to last much longer than they were used to. A couple burgers and chicken fingers should never take a half an hour... at three in the afternoon... when there was barely anyone else in the restaurant.

By the time they got to the lake that Brittany had begged to see, it was 5 o'clock and Quinn was sure that her mystery roommate was settling in, if not completely settled. She wasn't worried about it. Despite the excruciatingly slow pace they'd been moving at all day, she was having a great day with her best friends. She was sure that once rehearsals started these moments were going to be few and far between, so she was savoring it.

"Wow," Brittany gasped as they entered a clearing in the thick coniferous trees, "This place is gorgeous!"

"It really is," Santana gaped around her and grabbed for Brittany's hand.

"I wonder if you can swim in the lake?" Brittany asked the very non-receptive Quinn and Santana.

"Umm..." Quinn was entirely grossed out by the prospect of swimming in a lake, "One of the houses has a pool that we can all use."

"That's not the same," Brittany pouted to Santana even though Quinn had said it.

"I know, babe, but a pool's chlorinated," Brittany's eyebrow quirked up in question at her girlfriend who smiled sweetly and responded, "Clean."

"Oh..." Brittany sighed, clearly disappointed.

"Maybe," Santana winked at Brittany and Quinn could tell that she was scheming about something that would not involve her. Thankfully.

"Actually," Brittany started as they got closer to the water, "Are there fish in there?"

"Probably," Quinn answered peering out across the water that spread out in front of them for what seemed like miles.

"Never mind on the lake swimming. I don't want to swim with the fishes!" Brittany suddenly looked terrified.

"Okaayy..." Santana said as she wrapped her arms around Brittany. As she held her, she looked to Quinn with an expression telling her she had no idea what was wrong.

"That's what they say in movies when they're gonna kill someone," Brittany mumbled into Santana's neck.

"Britt, that's just an expression," Quinn put her hand on her shoulder.

"I don't wanna!"

"Okay, babe, let's get out of here," Santana suggested, looking at Quinn and nodding her head in the direction of the car.

"Yeah, let's go meet the rest of the housemates," Quinn felt her stomach retch a little just thinking about it.

"And the rest of the neighborhood?" Brittany's lip was still quivering but her face was out in the open again.

Quinn _really_ didn't want that.

"Sure," Santana answered probably against her own better judgment.

Before she could become extremely frustrated, Quinn turned and started walking back, "Come on, you know it's going to take forever to get back."

"It's only a few miles-"

"Were you not paying attention earlier when people were driving _under_ the speed limit?" Quinn interrupted Santana's foolishness.

"I try to block out your moments of rage," Quinn turned back to see Santana giving her one of her smug grins.

Quinn turned back, rolling her eyes, "Well, it might take us a half an hour."

It didn't take a half an hour and Quinn could not have been happier that she was wrong. Santana put up a stink about how Brittany _needed_ to be close to her still and because she no longer had the energy to argue about it, Quinn acquiesced and played chauffeur. It wasn't even a minute into the drive that she heard the unmistakeable sound of making out behind her. Once again she didn't have the energy to argue, she just avoided looking into her rearview mirror for the duration of the trip. It thankfully only took seventeen minutes.

She saw that the light in her room was on as she pulled up to the cul-de-sac and sighed over the confirmation that she hadn't somehow managed to avoid having a roommate.

"Ahem!" she cleared her throat once she'd put the car in park in the driveway.

"Just leave the keys," Santana waved Quinn off as she took a brief break from Brittany's mouth.

"No way," Quinn muttered and threw the door open. She stepped out, marched around the car to the door Santana was leaning up against and yanked it open.

"The fuck-"

"I am plenty fine with being your third wheel," Quinn ground out not waiting for Santana and Brittany be ready for it, "But you will not leave me to walk in that house by myself so that you can have sex in _my_ car! You will never be having sex in my car! I've never had sex in my car!"

"You never have sex," Santana reminded her yet again.

"Aaaaugh! Get out!"

"San, stop bugging her about that," Brittany huffed and shook her head.

"Yeah, San," Quinn crossed her arms and pressed the lock button on her remote as soon as they were both out of the car.

"On one condition," Santana stopped them all from proceeding into the house.

"I'm going to regret this," Quinn sighed, "What?"

"You let me try to find you a fuck buddy tonight. Just tonight. If I don't find anyone, I'll stop completely," she put her hands up and waved them to the side a little as if to surrender something.

With full confidence that she wouldn't be successful, Quinn smirked and answered, "Fine. Have fun with that."

"Oh I plan to," Santana smirked back, then started back up the driveway towards the house.

"Why did you agree to that, Quinn?" Brittany whispered as they walked a little behind Santana.

"Because I'm just going to say 'no' to them all," Quinn answered simply. Brittany merely shrugged in response and picked up her pace to catch up with Santana who was already walking up the stairs to the porch.

When they walked in, everything was quiet. It seemed like there was no one there, save for the sound of a shower running somewhere. They couldn't tell if it was in the basement or on their floor.

"I think it's upstairs," Santana smiled, knowing that it was Quinn's new bestest best friend.

"Wonderful," Quinn said sarcastically and trudged her way to the stairs, not caring how much noise she made as she walked up them. She turned to her right and was met with all of her roommate's things already organized in their places. Quinn had purposely taken the bed further away from the door, feeling that the space offered just a little more privacy.

"We'll see you in a half an hour or so," Santana peeked her head into the doorway with her inappropriate smirk already on her face.

"Oh, let me set my alarm," Quinn deadpanned and then rolled her eyes.

"Play nice. Not everyone can handle your snark," Santana was being serious and Quinn hated that she was right. She really shouldn't upset her roommate on the first day.

"Go do... your girlfriend..." she chuckled a little, "Sorry, not my best work."

"Not even close, but I will be taking your advice. See ya!"

And with that, she was gone, leaving Quinn alone with her stuff that she'd yet to put away. She was much more interested in snooping in her roommate's stuff though. Mostly because it all looked so normal. There were normal pictures in normal frames on her bureau and bedside table. Two of the pictures were of two older men. One looked like it was taken on the seventh night of Chanukah. She only deduced this because they were lighting a candle together and six were already lit. There was one of a woman that looked vaguely familiar with a little blonde haired girl and one of a very adorable wire haired dachshund. She'd also put two Toulouse Letrec copies on the sloping wall above her bed and a certain Georges Suerat print hung on the wall perpendicular to the window wall.

Quinn stopped herself from snooping in her closet when she heard the water shut off. She actually panicked a little and sprint tip toed back over to her own side of the room and busied herself putting her things away.

After about a minute she realized that she was being ridiculous and that no one gets out of the bathroom the instant they turn the shower off. She still needed a cover and continued to put her stuff away, but she calmed down a little bit. _And_ this girl should be more concerned with impressing Quinn, not the other way around. Quinn was the one in charge of making schedules and determining call times. Now that she was thinking about it, living this close to a lot of the actors might not be so terrible at all.

She calmed down a lot.

From the one box she brought with her, she dug out her portable speakers and connected them to her phone. She then proceeded to select her favorite "noise." It was really a song of course, but most people by heard it coming out of her speakers asked her to "turn off that noise." She was counting on her new roommate to do just that.

Quinn started organizing her side of room, beginning with her clothes. She picked up her duffle bag and dropped it in front of the closet that was pre-stocked with plastic hangers. As her favorite part of the song started, so did a complete rock out session in which head banging, arm thrashing and spinning were involved.

When the heavy drums and extra-electric guitar solo subsided to lyrics and she opened her eyes, they landed on a towel clad body standing in the middle of the room. They worked their way up from toned calves over the white towel which was probably covering just as toned thighs and abs then over the rise of her breasts to her bare chest where brunette hair covered one of her collar bones and left the other one out in the open and landed finally on her face. Her extremely familiar and probably beyond crazy face.

* * *

**A/N: It's a little later than I'd intended, but late is better than... not tonight.**


	5. It Had To Be

Quinn couldn't believe it! Standing right in front of her was the one person she _knew_ she didn't want to be sleeping in the bed five feet away from hers. How was it even possibly that this could be happening? Even worse, she'd blatantly been checking her out. Clearly, it was before she knew _who_ was standing in front of her, but still, it had happened and it probably didn't go unnoticed.

"Hi!" a terrifyingly bubbly sound came out of her crazy face. Then a hand shot out towards her and the sound started again, "I'm Ra-"

"Rachel Berry," Quinn finally stopped her shocked and horrified gaping and said something.

"Yeah!" she looked surprised, "How did you know?"

Quinn was already starting to feel a pain in between her eyes, "I was at the auditions... sort of."

"I don't rememb- OH! You were on the computer! Quinn, right? Quinn Fabray! I remember now. I also remember thinking how strange it was that the stage manager wasn't _in_ the room, but was. Technology is really altering everything, isn't it? Even theater," she was speaking so quickly and so much, Quinn's headache started spreading to her eyes.

"Yeah," she widened her eyes trying to make the pain subside a little, "That's me, Quinn Fabray, Stage Manager Extraordinaire." She turned around and turned off the blaring drums and whistles coming from the speakers behind her.

"I also remember thinking that you were way too pretty to be a stage manager," she chuckled lightly and Quinn was about to respond when the rambling continued, "But I'm also quite aware that people of the theater come in all varieties. You were listening to Friendly Fires just then. I love them! And _Jump in the Pool_ is my favorite. My roommate at NYCDA would always scream at me to 'turn off the fucking bullshit noise' whenever I'd listen to them... or Passion Pit or Two Door Cinema Club. She's one of those theater snobs that doesn't like to listen to anything that doesn't have a an artist name of 'Original Cast Recording' on iTunes... and I'm rambling. I'm so sorry."

"Uh..." Quinn was actually speechless. Her brain was processing far more than she was prepared for. It was difficult to even stay locked on a single thought. She _liked_ the song Quinn thought she'd hate? She talks way too fast. And too much. Did she say that Quinn was 'too pretty to be a stage manager?' What does that even mean? She's still in a towel.

"I think I'm just a little nervous," Rachel shrugged and smiled this half smile that for some really weird reason Quinn thought was cute. No, that couldn't be what she was thinking, "I didn't think I'd be meeting my roommate... or my stage manager in a towel."

Why the hell couldn't she think of anything to say? It had to be the shock of rooming with the one person she knew she didn't want to room with. It had to be all of the crazy she was going to have to deal with not only in rehearsal but in her room as well.

"I just keep talking," Rachel shook her head and laughed a little, putting her hand to her forehead, "And I'm still in my towel. I'm going to clothe myself."

"Yeah... I'm gonna go back to putting my stuff away..." Quinn said slowly and backed up towards her closet.

"It's very nice to meet you, Quinn," Rachel smiled and nodded slightly.

"Yeah, same here, Rachel," she wasn't really sure if that was true or not.

"Fuck, Britt!" Santana's distinct voice was heard through the walls.

Quinn couldn't help the snicker that came out of her throat.

"Wow," Rachel looked up from her dresser laughing quietly, "They hit it off quick."

"Actually, they're together," Quinn looked over from her closet. She shrunk back to it when she realized she'd actually said that to Rachel's ass that she for some unknown reason _had_ to look at.

"Oh," Rachel chewed on a thought for a second and then it seemed to hit her, "You already know them."

"Yeah," Quinn kept her attention to her closet and continued to hang her shirts as she spoke to avoid indulging in another glance at Rachel's ass... her fantastic ass, "They're actually my best friends from high school."

"That's cool. A little awkward, but cool," she responded.

"Why would you think it's awkward?" Quinn's tone became defensive and she took her attention off of her closet and back to Rachel. She really wished that hadn't been the moment her eyes landed back on the brunette. With her back turned to Quinn, she was standing in just her underwear, putting her bra on. Quinn froze, darting her eyes between Rachel's ass and the muscles in her back.

"Just from my own third wheel experiences," Rachel shrugged and started to turn back around. Quinn started to panic that she'd be caught again and with her heart pounding, she turned back to her closet. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Rachel had only reached next to her for her shirt and never fully turned around.

Internally, Quinn was berating herself. Everything that she was doing was the exact opposite of what she should be doing. She should not be checking out her roommate and she should not be thinking that Rachel Berry could potentially be normal.

"I do sometimes, but it isn't always because of things that they do," wait, what? What was that answer? Quinn didn't even remember thinking that! "I mean, we've always been friends. We've been friends since before they were a thing. Well, I guess they've always been a thing, but they weren't..." now Quinn was rambling like an absolute fool.

"Um... okay," Rachel quirked up one of her eyebrows as she brushed her hair, "Hey, are you going to the party at the Tech house tonight? Apparently they're making 'moose juice,' whatever that is."

"I don't think-"

"Of course she's going!" Quinn was both saved and put in complete and utter danger all in one fell swoop by Santana, who was sporting her freshly fucked glow. If it weren't for that and the scream from earlier, no one would have ever known.

"Good thing I didn't set my alarm," Quinn looked at her phone that indicated it had been 43 minutes since Santana had last been in her room.

"Whatever," Santana waved Quinn off and turned to Rachel, "Santana Lopez."

"Rachel Berry, it's a pleasure," Rachel switched the hand her hairbrush was in and held out her right to shake Santana's hand.

"All mine," Santana smirked, "This is my girlfriend, Brittany Pierce, she's the dance captain," Santana moved over a little to reveal that Brittany was in fact walking out of their room and to Quinn and Rachel's.

"It's really nice to meet you Rachel," Brittany practically jumped forward to shake her hand.

"What a ridiculously attractive couple you make," Rachel said through a smile as she shook Brittany's hand.

"I already like her, Q," Santana smirked again and Quinn rolled her eyes, silently fuming at her friend, "So, the party's at the Tech house, huh?"

"That's the message that was relayed to me when I arrived this evening," Rachel returned to her brushing her hair.

"What time did you get here?" Brittany asked as she bounced down onto Quinn's bed.

"About 5:00. My flight from Ohio was delayed two hours so I got here a lot later than I had initially intended," Rachel shrugged and began digging in a bag for something.

"Ohio?" Quinn's attention perked up at the mention of hers and Santana and Brittany's home state.

"Oh yeah," Rachel picked her head back up to acknowledge the question, "That's where I'm from. My dads still live there."

"No way!" Quinn baulked at yet another shock.

"Wait. Dads as in two, gay dads?" Santana questioned with surprising excitement.

"Uh... no way what? And yes my fathers are quite gay," Rachel laughed a little.

"Whoa! Gay parents in Ohio, I bet there aren't very many," Santana turned to look at Quinn.

"Why do you still think that everyone in Ohio hates gay people?" Quinn scoffed at her friend, "No one gave you shit when you came out, remember?"

"Yeah, San," Brittany agreed with Quinn, "Even your parents were alright with it. You were scared all that time for like, no reason."

"There was that one kid..."

"Oh please! You threatened to, what was it? Oh yeah," Quinn remembered it like it was just the day before, "You threatened to, 'rip off his dick and feed it to him through a straw,' as I recall."

"And then he ran away holding his crotch and screaming," Brittany twisted her lips, most likely remembering how upset the thought of all that violence had made her.

"Am I hearing things correctly? You guys are all from Ohio, too," Rachel looked like she was caught somewhere between shocked and excited.

"It's a small word, Berry," Santana shrugged then looked at Quinn who was yet again checking Rachel out. She didn't even know she was doing it until Santana cleared her throat, "Hey, Q, why don't we make a trip to a liquor store and prepare for this party?"

Feeling her cheeks reach a dangerous level of red, Quinn merely nodded and busied herself putting the rest of her things away. She heard Santana laugh, but refused to look up and acknowledge it.

"Would you like anything, Rachel?" Santana asked in an unusual pleasant tone.

"I'm all set, but thank you," Rachel sounded genuinely happy to have even been considered, "I think I'm going to suck it up and try the Moose Juice."

"You can milk a moose?" Brittany perked up.

"I don't think so, babe," Santana smiled sweetly at her girlfriend, "I think it's like the Jungle Juice Danny used to make."

"Ooooh! The red stuff that wasn't really from the jungle, but every cabinet in his kitchen," things were clearly clicking for her.

"Exactly-"

"But this one has moose in it. I get it," Brittany was totally serious.

"Um... I don't think-" Rachel started but was interrupted by Santana's subtle waving hand.

Brittany stood up, not noticing the interaction between her girlfriend and the new person, "I don't want moose anything. I want rum. The coconut kind."

"Of course, babe," Santana answered. Brittany smiled and linked her pinky into Santana's, "Ready, Q?"

"Yes," Quinn answered immediately and raced towards her keys on her dresser. She didn't really want to be spending time with Santana, but it was better spending time with Santana _and_ Rachel.

"It was nice meeting you all!" Rachel threw in before they left the room, "And we should get lunch or something tomorrow, Quinn and get to know each other a little bit."

"Uhh..."

"She'd love to," Brittany answered for her and Quinn swore she saw her wink at Santana.

What the hell was going on?

Rachel laughed a little and said, "Great. I'll see you guys later!"

"Later, Berry," Santana said as she turned the other two girls out of the room.

They stayed silent as they thumped down the stairs then walked to the door out, until they got into Quinn's car where Quinn was no longer safe.

"You fucking like her!"

"She's crazy," Quinn replied instantly to Santana's foolishness.

"She didn't seem crazy, Quinn," Brittany leaned forward from the backseat, "And you kept checking her out."

"Nope, I was looking for the crazy," Quinn justified her leering for everyone in the car, including herself.

"Where? In her tits?" Santana guffawed.

"And her butt?" Brittany laughed just as loud.

After reversing the car out of the driveway and letting her ridiculous friends finish up their unwarranted laughter, Quinn assured them and herself, "Trust me, we're going to find out that she's crazy really soon. Probably tonight."

She was absolutely positive that Rachel Berry was going to prove her right and for the first time, she couldn't wait for her roommate to be crazy.

* * *

**A/N: Just in time for Quinn to be back on Glee... I'm not even watching it yet. *eye roll* So, what do you think?**


	6. Uninvited

Armed with merely a flask full of blueberry vodka and a few cans of Minute Maid lemonade, Quinn was forced to proceed to the party. Before she walked in with Santana and Brittany, she hid 2/3 of her lemonade under a bench swing hanging from the ceiling of the porch.

The moment she walked in, she wanted to walk back out. As soon as the loud, drinking 20-somethings were everywhere around her, she realized how tired she was from waking up at 3:30 in the morning.

"Hello, ladies," a dude with a gross mohawk stepped in front of them as soon as they were in the door, "ATD, Noah 'Puck' Puckerman at your sexual service."

"Gay, she's my girlfriend, and she hates people," Santana pointed to herself, then Brittany, then Quinn. She then grabbed the two blondes and pulled them away from the gross techie.

"Why did he tell us he had an ATD?" Brittany asked while they were walking away, deeper into the theatrically infested house.

"Not has, babe, _is_. He is the ATD," Santana clarified for her.

Quinn knew that another question was coming next and answered it before it could happen, "Assistant Technical Director. He's the guy that helps the guy that figures out how to build the set."

"Ooooh! Jeez, I wish people just said the stuff that you guys say to me when they say things," Brittany sighed, then spotted something "Ooo! Games!" Before Santana and Quinn knew it, Brittany was off heading towards the backyard.

"Shit! I'm gonna follow her. Coming?" Santana asked frantically.

"I'll stay inside for a little. I have to pee anyways," Quinn shrugged and shook her head.

"Okay, but you can't leave! I'm finding you a fuck buddy remember?" Santana basically yelled for the whole house to hear as she backed up towards the back yard.

"How could I forget?" Quinn sighed and tried to find a place to hide. Usually the best places to hide were right in the open. She peered into the living room and spotted an empty spot on a couch next to a gayer than gay man who looked just as happy to be present as Quinn was.

Perfect.

After accidentally finding her way to the bathroom, Quinn found her way back to the living room and the still unoccupied seat next to Mr. Fashionista.

"Is anyone sitting here?" Quinn leaned down a little to ask.

"Just the stagnant stench of borderline alcoholism. Please feel free to steal it," he wittily answered.

"Thank you," Quinn said as she sat down, "I'm Quinn, stage manager."

"Kurt, assistant costume design," he held out his hand to shake Quinn's and she was pleasantly surprised to receive a full on, whole handed shake. Kurt passed her first test.

"So, you look like you want to be here as much as I do, which is not at all," Quinn sat back and took a sip out of her can that she had yet to put any vodka into.

"Actually," he blushed a little and leaned closer to Quinn, "See that strikingly handsome man over there?"

"The one with the bright red pants, matching suspenders and bow tie? How could you miss him?" Quinn looked back from the strange fashion statement to Kurt.

"I'm only down here because he is. Otherwise, I'd be in my room completely avoiding all of this," Kurt sighed and gazed across the room at the overly gelled hairdo.

Quinn quirked up her eyebrow, "Does Bow Tie have a name?"

"I'm sure he does," Kurt answered and continued his hopeless romantic stare.

Deciding that there was enough space for her vodka, Quinn paused from her invigorating conversation and pulled her flask from her back pocket. She unscrewed the cap and poured what she estimated to be a a third of its contents into the can, then swirled it around. After replacing her flask into her pocket, she took two large gulps from the can, got up and walked over to the boy who looked like he was waiting for a flood.

"Hi," she said when she got to him, interrupting the conversation he was having with a blonde haired kid with an oversized mouth, "Quinn, stage manager."

"Nice to mee-"

"See that guy over there?" she pointed over to Kurt who was in complete shock.

"Yes," Suspenders said with a charming smile.

"Well, he thinks you're strikingly handsome and can't stop staring at you," she said looking back at Kurt with a strangely genuine smile, "His name is Kurt and he's the assistant costume designer."

"Um, Sam, if you'll excuse me," Red Pants turned to the fish face kid.

"Yeah, sure, bro! I'll catch you later," he gave him an encouraging thumbs up and a smile.

"Thanks! Oh, I'm Blaine by the way, actor," he said to Quinn and then started his walk to the couch where Kurt was still shocked.

"Of course," Quinn mumbled then turned to find the Mackerel a little closer to her than he was before.

"So you're our stage manager, huh?" he asked making it clear that he was also an actor.

"Yes, yes I am," Quinn answered and tried to find the best way out of this situation. Of course she spotted Santana over his shoulder. And of course she was nodding and smirking at her. "Hey, is that the moose juice bucket?" Quinn asked him hoping he'd turn around so that Santana could see his gigantic mouth.

Success.

As soon as he was back facing Quinn, she could see Santana over his shoulder shaking her head and then turning her bottom lip down and her covering her top lip with her tongue making a set of mega-lips.

"Umm..." Quinn choked down her laughter, "My friend needs me."

"Oh, okay-"

"See you at rehearsal," Quinn passed right by him and walked to Santana.

"Oh my god, I bet he could open jars with that thing!" Santana said as soon Quinn got to her.

"I know," Quinn laughed and sipped down the rest of her blueberry lemonade.

Then the smirk appeared on Santana's face again, "What about that guy?"

Quinn sighed as she followed to where Santana was subtly pointing. There she found a tall Asian boy who was talking to their housemate Tina.

"He looks pre-occupied," Quinn smiled, satisfied that she wouldn't have to humor Santana.

"It's 'cause he's Asian, huh?"

"No! It's because he's a performer. Look at his cheesy charming smile," Quinn would always be able to find something.

"You're just going to reject every person I bring to you, aren't you?" Santana huffed and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Quinn changed the subject.

"She's with this guy Joe and this girl Sugar... oh, she's your ASM by the way," Santana started laughing lightly, "Not bright."

"Great."

"Which is why I'm going to go check on Britts. Try not to make everyone hate you on the first night," Santana said with a smug smile and turned to go out the door to the back yard.

"Whatever," Quinn mumbled as she turned to go back to the porch. She needed more lemonade stat. In the process of turning, her eyes found the microwave and she realized she'd already been at this wretchedness for over an hour.

It was definitely time for more vodka.

She gracefully maneuvered her way through the crowded living room and out the front door onto the porch where she plopped down on the swing, then reached underneath to grab one of her hidden cans. After gulping down some of it, she poured half of the contents of her flask into the can and repeated the same steps as before. As she sipped on the sweet, but strong mixture, she heard the door open then close and decided not to acknowledge it.

"Quinn?"

Despite the minuscule chance that it could happen, Rachel had found Quinn. Successfully, Quinn had gone over an hour without hearing her, let alone seeing her. She sighed and responded, "Yes?"

"Not in a party mood?" Rachel asked, sitting down uninvited next to Quinn on the porch swing.

"It's been a long day," she answered trying not to sound as annoyed as she felt.

"All the more reason to drink up!" Rachel held up her Solo cup to clank it against Quinn's can to no avail, "You don't... really like me... do you?"

Quinn looked over to see a fairly disappointed face, "Well, to be fair, I don't really like anyone." She shrugged and took a large sip from her can.

"You like Santana and Brittany," Rachel challenged with a slight slur on the one S.

"I'd say it's more like they were grandfathered into my good graces," Quinn chuckled at her own wittiness.

"Well, I think you're lying," Rachel said with emphasis on every word in the sentence.

"Well, I think you're drunk," Quinn popped up her eyebrows and leaned over to sniff the contents of Rachel's cup. It smelled like citrus, champagne and a hangover.

"I may be, but a'least I'll admit it," Rachel slurred in return and pointed her finger at Quinn.

"I don't have anything to admit," Quinn smirked, not realizing she was flirting with her until it had already started happening. Perhaps she should be slowing down on the blueberry vodka and lemonade.

Rachel's lips twisted a little in thought, "Why are you pursuing a career that without fail deals with people if you don't like them?"

She might have been drunk, but Rachel had Quinn with that one. She couldn't formulate an answer quick enough.

"Ah! See? You _do_ like people!"

"I wouldn't go that far-"

"You, Miss Fabray, are gonna like me by the end of this summer," Rachel jumbled her words together and leaned into Quinn's shoulder.

"Have fun with that," Quinn gulped out, acknowledging how close Rachel's face was to hers.

"There you two are!" Santana was already speaking before Quinn could even realize the door had opened, "Nice and cozy I see."

Quinn simply began chugging her lemonade, thinking that she _shouldn't_ be slowing down. She simultaneously contemplated making a run for it across the cul-de-sac straight up to her bed.

"Hi, Santana!" Rachel turned her whole body towards her causing the porch swing to do what it does best and cause Quinn to swallow incorrectly. "Oh! Are you okay?" Rachel turned back to Quinn with far too much concern on her face.

"Yeah," Quinn coughed a few more times, "Doing a really great job at getting me to like you."

"Sorry. I'm a little clumsy when I'm drunk," she scrunched up her face, "But who isn't?"

Once again Quinn found herself thinking something Rachel did was adorable. The vodka must have been really kicking in and thickening the lenses in her alcohol goggles. For good measure, she reached under the swing and grabbed her last can. Impatiently, she dumped out some and emptied the remaining contents of her flask into the space she'd created in the can.

"You _are_ drinking!"

"Yeah, it's her blueberry vodka and lemonade weirdness," Santana scoffed.

"That sounds delicious!" Rachel smiled at Quinn.

"Here," Quinn was just tipsy enough to offer up her can.

"Really?" Rachel's eyes got really wide and _again_ Quinn found herself a little too entranced.

"Yeah, really. Take a sip before I decide I don't want your actor cooties-"

"Oh you want her actor cooties," Santana chuckled from the door.

"Fuck you!"

"What?"

"Nothing!" Quinn shouted quickly, "Santana's clinically insane with a mild case of Tourette's Syndrome."

"Whatever, Q! I came out here to tell you that they're playing Kings and _everyone_ has to play," Santana was clearly smirking her stupid lips off.

"Aren't they all drunk enough?" Quinn sighed knowing already that she wasn't going to win and would be back inside in no time.

"You haven't been to many theater parties have you?" Rachel asked in her slurry speech.

"I have, I just thought I'd graduated-"

"You're so pretty," Rachel said so quietly, Quinn was sure Santana hadn't heard, but then she turned around and asked, "Don't you think she's too pretty to be a stage manager?"

Quinn didn't know what to do. She couldn't figure out what was happening. All she wanted was for Rachel to be made of absolute crazy, but she wasn't really. Not yet at least. She got drunk at parties like 22 year-olds do. She had read Quinn like she was a Clifford book and everything she did was adorable.

Worst. Possible. Scenario. Ever.

Developing a crush on her roommate was worse than having a crazy roommate.

"It works out for her," Santana shrugged and pulled Quinn's attention out of her head, "Mostly because she gets underestimated at first, but then she puts everyone in their place and has them all whipped before the first week is in the books."

"Are you sober?" Quinn questioned and feared Santana's clear headed wording.

"Not even a little. Just tellin' it like it is, home girl," Santana shrugged again, "Time to go in the house, kiddies."

"Come on," Rachel got up and pulled Quinn's empty hand, "It'll be fun!"

Quinn inhaled sharply and for some unknown, drunken reason, she didn't take her hand back from Rachel's and let her drag her into the house.

* * *

**A/N: I am terribly sorry that this took so long. I've actually been writing all week, but unfortunately it was all rewriting. Things weren't going the way I wanted them to so I fixed them. Updates should go back to being more frequent now. Hope you liked this one!**


	7. Good?

When Quinn woke up she was aware of only a few things:

1) Her nose was cold.  
2) Her arm was _completely_ asleep.  
3) Her bed was extra warm.  
4) Something was touching her back.

The A/C was blaring cold air into the room through the window next to her closet making her nose cold. Somehow she'd managed to fall asleep with her arm under her pillow and above her heart, making her arm dead to the world. Those were easy to deduce.

She lifted up her comforter and felt the hot air that had been trapped inside rise out towards her face. Then whatever was touching her back shifted. Her heart began throbbing and her panic stricken body propelled her out of the bed and onto the floor. A whoosh of warm air followed her down, then became completely absorbed by the conditioned air. A combination of her nerves and the shocking cold air made Quinn shiver. Her chin was trembling as she lifted herself up and looked over the bed to see what had thrown her out.

Still asleep and hugging the edge of the bed was exactly what Quinn was hoping not to find. The long brunette hair was unmistakable and the empty bed on the other side of the room only confirmed it.

With no clue what to do, Quinn stood up and started lightly pacing the length of her bed. After about the fourth pass, she realized that her door was open and her panic multiplied. If Santana or Brittany saw this they'd never shut up about it. She took three giant, silent steps to the door, closed it, then locked it. When she was three normal steps away, she realized that a closed locked door is much more suspicious than an unlocked one.

She had to wake Rachel up.

She also needed to remember _why_ Rachel had been sleeping in her bed with her.

After unlocking the door, she slowly walked over to the side of the bed that Rachel was clinging to. Directly under her head was a wastebasket. All of a sudden things became a little bit clearer.

Things were still a little hazy, but Quinn distinctly remembered a game of Kings that turned into a game of Never Have I Ever. It was a game that got people much drunker very quickly because there aren't very many things theater people haven't done. Quinn learned a lot about the people she'd be spending the summer with, though. They were useless things that told her nothing about how they'd be in rehearsals or meetings, but she learned a lot nonetheless. In every game of Never Have I Ever that she'd ever played, some douche bag would always say "Never have I ever slept with a dude," and some stuck up bitch would say, "Never have I ever slept with a girl."

Her most memorable game of Never Have I Ever was a mandatory Strip version that she played during her last night of pledging Alpha Psi Omega, the National Honorary Theater Society. It's a co-ed fraternity that didn't play by the same rules as regular social fraternities and sororities. They had their own much tamer and shorter pledging process. In this game, it was a gay guy that had said "Never have I ever slept with a girl," and immediately after the collective sigh, all but him, a girl from her pledge class and two alumni threw a piece of clothing into the already gigantic pile in the middle of the circle, sending at least 10 people to just their underwear... Quinn included.

Last night's game played out rather similarly, only instead of removing clothing, they were gulping down alcoholic beverages. Kurt, the gold-star gay, uttered the words and Quinn watched as everyone but Kurt, Bow Tie, Mercedes, Tina, and a guy with dreadlocks took a sip of their drinks. She almost choked when she saw that Rachel had tossed her head back and taken huge gulp.

"Hey, Rachel," Quinn moved the wastebasket back to its place centered between the beds and shook her shoulder.

"Hmm..." she hummed but didn't open her eyes or move.

"Rachel, you have to get up," Quinn shook her a little harder.

"Why-" she opened her eyes and moved her head a little, "am I in your bed?" Her eyebrows were furrowed but her eyes had concern darting out of them.

"Move into yours and I'll remind you?" Quinn bargained and didn't wait for an answer to start helping her up.

"Did we...?" Rachel bolted up, a mortified shade of red taking over her face completely.

"No!" Quinn said a little too loudly and quickly.

"Oh, phewf! Good," Rachel sighed and planted her feet on the floor.

'_Good?'_

Before Quinn could make a fool of herself, Rachel got up and looked at Quinn with her worried face again, "You didn't have to take care of me, did you?"

"You... fell asleep pretty fast," Quinn clarified as Rachel sat down on her own bed.

"Wow, I really don't remember anything after Never Have I Ever. Actually, I don't even think I remember the last of that," Rachel still looked embarrassed, "I should have asked what was in the moose juice..."

"Orange juice, pineapple juice, champagne, vodka, rainbow sherbet, and frozen strawberries," Quinn listed the contents that she had nearly had to beat out of Puck when they were leaving.

"Oh... that's... gross," Rachel made a face matching how she probably felt, "But it was really good."

Quinn laughed and sat down on her bed, "It must have been, you kept going back for more."

"I didn't vomit, did I?" Rachel made the embarrassed face mixed with the grossed out face.

"No, but you kept trying to sleep on your back..."

"How did I get in _your_ bed, though?" Rachel looked suspicious, of what, Quinn didn't know.

Quinn definitely knew this answer, "You put yourself there when we got here."

"That's weird..."

"You wanted me to play Jump In The Pool, but I wouldn't because it was two AM," Quinn crossed her arms over her chest, remembering exactly how annoyed she was the night before.

Despite how annoyed she was, she kept helping Rachel. She wanted to. No matter how annoyed she was made, she was just as drawn to her. Even as a drunken mess, Rachel was cute. The word 'sexy' had even fluttered through her mind more than once. She wasn't too drunk to help Rachel, but she was drunk enough to think the unthinkable.

"Why didn't you just tell me to move to my own bed?" Rachel quirked up her eyebrow.

That had a completely justified reasoning, "Because I was also drunk and not in the mood to get you up and over five feet. And like I said, you kept trying to sleep on your back. I had to prop you up."

"Oh," Rachel put her eyebrow back down and turned her eyes to the floor, "Umm... I don't usually do that... you know, get blackout drunk... or even regular drunk. Especially, during a show. It isn't-"

"Good for your voice?" Quinn scoffed lightly, readying herself for the crazy to start poking its way into this conversation.

"I was going to say professional, but no, you're right, it isn't good for my voice," Rachel suddenly got defensive. She got up and started for the door, "I have to pee."

Quinn started to form the R, but she was out of the room before the name could come out. She actually felt bad. She'd barely said anything, but it was completely uncalled for and she really felt bad about it. Rachel was being completely normal, why was she trying to drag out something that might not actually exist?

"Hey, Q," she heard Santana's gravelly, morning voice, "Deep in thought about your snuggle sesh?"

"I hate you," Quinn muttered, then let herself fall back onto her bed.

"Untrue, besides, I'm fully aware of what really happened," Santana laughed.

"You just love to give me shit," Quinn shook her head and silently berated herself for easily taking Santana's bait.

Santana walked into the room and sat down next to Quinn. She leaned over Quinn to make eye contact, "Seriously, though...?" she let the question hang and kept her face straight as she nodded towards the bathroom.

"No," Quinn answered adamantly and sat up, "no."

Santana squinted one of her eyes slightly then curled her upper lip and dragged it between her teeth as she thought, "We'll discuss this after your lunch date."

"My what?" Quinn had no idea what Santana talking about, but her smirk made her believe she wasn't going to like it.

"With your roommate, silly," a satisfied Santana got up went to leave the room, "Oh, hey Midget."

"You're not very much taller than I am," Rachel crossed her arms over her chest.

"I only give nicknames to people I like," Santana said simply with a smile and left the room.

"It's better than Bitchface," Quinn smiled apologetically.

"Is that yours? It's good," Rachel said with blatant spite as she looked through her closet.

"I'm sorry-"

"No, you know what, it's cool," Rachel took a step back and looked right into Quinn's eyes, "You think I'm this crazy actress with absurd demands and that I don't care who I inconvenience as long as I get what I want. You think that _I_ think that my talent is absolute gold and I should be treated as such. Well you know what, Quinn Fabray? Fuck you. Fuck you and your judgmental bull shit."

Quinn just sat on her bed staring straight ahead at Rachel like a deer in headlights. She had no idea what had just hit her. The word 'sexy' was fluttering through her brain again, though and this time she was sober.

"You think you're so much better than all of us," Rachel's rant continued, "Let me guess, you used to act. Something happened though and you settled for stage management. That way, you still get to be around actors, but you're in charge. What was it? Sick of not getting cast? Didn't get into any programs? I'm sure it was something really ridiculous that made you give up."

Now Quinn was livid. Once again Rachel was reading her far too well. To most people Quinn was like an Ayn Rand book, but for some reason Rachel easily flipped through her pages as if she were a _My First Chapter Book_. She was r_eally_ angry because Rachel was right, but she was only partially right. Quinn was debating whether or not drop that on Rachel because it was sure to make her feel guilty, but it was still a sore subject with Quinn even after five years.

"I don't care if you like me, okay. Not anymore. I'm sure you'll be happy to know I will no longer be actively pursuing your 'good graces,'" Rachel spat and turned back to her closet with a huff.

For some reason that _really_ struck a nerve. She'd never considered this scenario. Now that Rachel _didn't_ want her to like her, that's all she could think about. How much she liked Rachel. She didn't even really know her. All she knew was that she proved her wrong left and right and that somehow Rachel already knew her. It made her different than anyone else she'd ever met and terrifyingly intriguing.

Quinn knew she couldn't fix things all at once, but she needed to try for multiple reasons. Her main concern was her job. Even if she wasn't really one, Rachel could still act like a diva towards her and only her. Her living situation was her second concern. She just couldn't live with someone that didn't like her at all. As much as Quinn touted about saying that she didn't care what people thought about her, she did. And then there were the pesky romantic feelings that she couldn't ignore. Those were out of the question. Those would always be out of the question. No matter how strong her feelings were for Rachel, she wouldn't act on them. Professional relationships were destroyed by romantic ones. The what-ifs were too great to risk her future. Not to mention she'd probably already completely fucked up any chances she might have had with Rachel anyways.

But still, she needed start fixing things soon...

"I get panic attacks," Quinn exhaled softly.

"What?" Rachel scoffed as she stepped back from her closet.

"When I audition. I get panic attacks," Quinn revealed as she breathed slowly, "Actually, just thinking about auditioning makes me breathe a little funny. I can sit through other people's auditions no problem, but I just... can't."

"Oh..." Quinn see guilt rising up in Rachel and even though she was the one that was attacked, Quinn felt guilty for making _her_ feel guilty.

"You were right though; I started stage managing because of it," Quinn gulped and took another deep breath, "I really do love it. Not because I'm in charge, but because I love the whole process of a show. The stage manager is involved in nearly everything."

"I'm sorry-"

"No. I deserved that. You were absolutely right, I judged you before I really met you and I don't usually do that. I thought I knew you're type, but clearly I was wrong," Quinn stated apologetically.

"Well... sometimes I can get kind of... diva-ish..." Rachel winced and backed impossibly further into her side of the room.

There was that adorableness again. Quinn couldn't even attempt to stop the smile that spread onto her lips. "I can handle it," she kept her crooked smile in place and winked subtly.

Rachel's bottom lip briefly found its way in between her teeth, "So, still up for lunch?"

In a sigh of relief, Quinn breathed out, "Yes."

* * *

**A/N: See? Back on track! Hope you liked it! Can't wait to hear from you guys!**


	8. Challenge Number 3

Quinn could not wait for her first production meeting. It wasn't because lunch with Rachel was going horribly like she would have originally expected, but because of well it was going.

Rachel was funny and well knowledgeable on ridiculously random things. She expelled a balance of self-respect and self-deprecation when she was talking about herself, but she listened with interest to Quinn's answers about herself.

If they weren't obvious before, her romantic feelings for Rachel were pounding on the door and ringing the bell at the same time making their presence known at this point. That's why she couldn't wait for the production meeting. She'd be putting her full attention into it, leaving no space to think about this... problem.

"So you really like being behind the show?" Rachel asked as she stabbed at some baby spinach leaves.

"Definitely," Quinn nodded with her mouth still full of fried green tomato BLT.

"The lack of recognition doesn't bother you?" Rachel asked with a quirked eyebrow as her hand paused, leaving her fork standing up from her dish.

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked slowly, knowing exactly what she meant, but out of surprise that she would even notice.

"Well, sometimes performers don't always appreciate their stage managers," Rachel shrugged with one shoulder, "I mean, I'm not sure that a lot them even realize that the stage manager is there for them. That's why we're in the same union." She shrugged again and reloaded her fork with spinach and cucumbers.

"I blame that on directors," Quinn smiled, "_They_ think we're there for them as if we're the assistant director. I mean, to an extent, yes we are, but it's really only for communication purposes. You're right though, we are there for the actors."

"So, it doesn't bother you?"

"It does a little," Quinn admitted, "But I'm not doing it for recognition. I'm sure you've played plenty of zero to no line parts that barely got any recognition. You're still working. Someday I might win an Obie or a even a Tony." Quinn shrugged and took another bite of her neglected sandwich.

"It's funny that no matter what concentration of theatre you're, the big goal is always the same," Rachel chuckled lightly and pushed her empty plate forward.

"You want a Tony, too? No way!" Quinn snarked, but laughed immediately after it was out.

"Nah, those things are overrated," Rachel waved her hand, then laughed.

Why did she have to be so cute?

Quinn directed her attention back to her plate and attempted to think about something else.

"Want some sweet potato fries?" she asked pushing her plate towards Rachel, but without looking up.

"Clearly you saw me eyeballing them," Rachel laughed and snatched one up.

"Well, compared to your rabbit food..."

"I don't eat meat... except for fish... and chicken..." Rachel said slowly, then laughed through her nose.

"So you're a..." Quinn contemplated something witty, "Pesca/Poultratarian?"

"Who drinks milk and eats eggs, yes," Rachel answered and took another sweet potato fry, "I used to be vegan, but it's really difficult and I needed to change my diet for a role. I wasn't getting enough protein for the workouts I was doing to be successful."

"You just... changed your life for a role," Quinn was a little baffled.

"Well, it was never because of morals that I became vegan in the first place," she shrugged, "It was actually because I was being a defiant teenager that wanted her voice heard at her school. See, diva-ish."

"That's hilarious, actually. Did you start a whole campaign or something?" Quinn asked through a laugh.

"Yes! And I got nearly everyone in the school to sign the petition by telling them that the vegan options won't be poisoned like the regular food," Rachel smirked a little then started cracking up, "The lunch ladies hated me."

"They should have!" Quinn was laughing right along with Rachel.

"I know," Rachel sighed, "What time is your meeting?"

"Three," Quinn said through her slowing laughter as she grabbed at her pained stomach.

"Oh, we should get the check," Rachel looked worried as she checked her phone, "It's almost 2:30."

"What?" Quinn's brain started sending panic signals through her nerves.

"You'll make it, I promise," Rachel's fingers wrapped around Quinn's forearm and her heart started pounding for a completely different reason.

Quinn gulped down and took her arm back to reach into her pocket for her wallet. She didn't miss the millisecond of disappointment that washed over Rachel's face when the contact was broken, but she wished she had.

"Lunch is on me," Quinn said through as steady a voice as she could manage, pulling out $30 from her wallet.

"Oh, you don't-"

"No, please. I sucked this morning," Quinn shook her head as she got up from her seat.

"Okay," Rachel twisted her tongue along her teeth for a second, "Next time is on me, though."

"Next time?" Quinn gulped, not sure if she could handle another _not_-date with Rachel.

"Yeah," Rachel pulled open the door and motioned for Quinn to pass through, "That's what friends do, right? Hang out and go out for dinner and drinks sometimes?"

"Yeah, that's what friends do," Quinn unlocked her car and plopped into the driver's seat. "So, is that what we are? Friends? I'm not sure I agreed to that, yet," Quinn snarked, regaining some of her composure.

"It's the least you can do after this morning," Rachel looked over to Quinn from the passenger seat with a look that Quinn instantly knew she was never going to be able to say no to. Her lips were caught somewhere between a pout and a smirk and one of her eyebrows was just barely quirked up.

Hopefully, Rachel would never figure out how much power that look could have over Quinn.

At least not until the summer was over.

~~{}~~

Quinn made it to her first production meeting fifteen minutes early, which to her was exactly on time. The only people there before her were the assistant director, a kid in a wheelchair who for some reason was wearing a sweater in the middle of the summer, and one of her assistant stage managers, a kid named Charlie that she didn't remember seeing at the party the night before. He was blatantly more attentive than Sugar, who was only 5 minutes early, which wasn't early at all in Quinn's book.

The meeting went exactly how Quinn wanted it to go: organized. Everyone spoke when it was their turn and they all listened to Quinn. She had both Charlie and Sugar take the meeting minutes to see which one of them could take better notes and which would be relieved of production meeting duty. Without a doubt, Charlie's typed, bullet-pointed and highlighted notes far exceeded Sugar's swirly, handwritten in pink ink on pink paper and doodled on notes.

Everyone was also quite happy to learn that Quinn did in fact have a body and she wasn't just a face on a screen. That was a nice laugh for two minutes as indicated in Charlie's notes. The inclusion made Quinn like him even more. She would always infuse a little humor into her mundane notes that needed to be sent out daily and the fact that he did it as well put a check plus next his name in her head.

The best part of the meeting was that she didn't think about Rachel once. Not a single time. It wasn't until after she had said some "goodbyes" and some "see you tomorrows" and she was in her car that she thought about her. As soon as her seat belt clicked she felt nervous. What if Rachel was there? She couldn't _not_ talk to her. She didn't want to _not_ talk to her. But talking to her only made her predicament worse and how much longer could she keep talking to Rachel without more than talking to Rachel.

Quinn's head fell forward and smacked into her hands that were grasping onto the top of her steering wheel. Hopefully, no one was watching her not pulling out of the parking lot and acting like a fool.

It hadn't even been 24 hours since she'd met Rachel in person and she was already going insane. She had expected to be going insane, but not this soon and not for this reason. How had this even happened? In less than 24 hours she'd developed a crush on her roommate.

Impossible.

She had to be imagining it. Rachel was just charming and had actual friend potential. That was all.

Quinn picked her head up, turned the radio all the way up and put the car in drive. She screamed along to a Taylor Swift song that she was ashamed she knew the words to all the way back to the house and noticed immediately upon pulling around the cul-de-sac that the lights in her room were out. Maybe Rachel wasn't there.

If she was really lucky, Santana and Brittany wouldn't be there either.

As she opened the door, she held her fingers crossed, ever the superstitious theater person. Tina, Mercedes and a tall red head named Abby were chatting in the kitchen over something cooking on the stove.

"Hey, Quinn," Tina was the first to see who had opened the door.

"Hi," Quinn waved, acknowledging them all.

"We're making tacos if you want some. We have like, two pounds of ground turkey here," Abby laughed a little and threw her thumb over her shoulder, pointing at the frying pan behind her.

"Thanks, maybe in a little bit," Quinn smiled genuinely and started for the stairs.

"Tell Santana and Brittany, too. They _must_ be hungry," Mercedes crossed her arms, shifted her weight and pursed her lips.

"I- will do that," Quinn stopped herself from saying 'I'm sure they've eaten enough today' to a bunch of straight girls that probably wouldn't laugh, but think it was gross... or maybe not considering the events of the night before. Suddenly Quinn regretted censoring herself and decided that the moment had completely passed, scolding herself all the way up the stairs.

"Is that our dear friend Quinn I hear trudging up the stairs?" Quinn heard Santana calling from the top of the stairs. She looked up to see her grinning at her from hers and Brittany's doorway.

Quinn smiled smugly when she met her at the top, "They're making tacos downstairs and invited you two, but I told them that you've probably already had enough of the fish variety for one day."

Boom.

It didn't go to waste.

Quinn turned around, satisfied with the look on Santana's face and laughed silently as she unlocked her room. Just as she was pushing the door open, Santana cleared her throat causing Quinn to instantly wince in preparation for whatever was going to come out of her unpredictable mouth.

"How's the crush on your roommate going?"

That was so predictable. Why wasn't she ready for it?

Without turning to look at Santana, Quinn walked into her room, tossed her bag onto her bed and started to say, "I don't-"

"Yes, you do," Brittany had already plopped down on Rachel's bed. Quinn whipped around to see that Santana was also in the room and had the door closed behind her. "We might have spent a lot of time apart, but we still know you Quinn," Brittany crossed her arms across her chest and gave her a look similar to an 'I told you so,' look.

"And you're totally into Rachel. You let her drink from your can last night and didn't wipe it off afterwards," Santana pointed out something beyond strange.

"What?"

"And when she drank after that gay kid said 'Never have I ever had sex with a girl,' you were like, dead," Brittany quirked up her eyebrow and nodded her head for extra emphasis.

"I was drunk and Rachel's just different than I thought she was going to be," Quinn said quickly before she could be interrupted again, "She's actually pretty cool and I've just been baffled by it, okay?"

Santana and Brittany looked at each other and then back at Quinn.

"What?" the look from both of them was making her increasingly nervous, "It's only been a day! I can't _like_ someone after only a day of knowing them. I don't even know her!"

Too much.

Santana sighed heavily and pushed herself off of the door, "I barely knew Brittany when I knew I had _feelings_ for her. All she did was smile at me and I wanted to know everything about her."

Quinn watched them both blush and smile at each other, getting lost in a moment of romanticism. She shook herself out of it before she could be too long gone and burst Santana's bubble, "I didn't like Rachel at first. Actually, she embodied everything I despise about this business."

"I didn't like Santana when I first met her," Brittany jumped in, then gave Santana an apologetic look that Santana shrugged away with a knowing look, "I thought she was mean. And for no reason. But clearly, I got to know her and found out that she wasn't mean, she was hurt and ashamed of something she shouldn't have been. I fell in love with the Santana behind the Bitch mask."

Quinn heard a sniffle and shot her eyes over to Santana who was rapidly trying to hide the fact that she was crying.

"It's okay that you were wrong about her, you know. You're allowed to change your mind," Brittany drew Quinn's attention back to her.

"I know," Quinn sighed, "But I can't."

"You can't what, Q?" Santana had finally composed herself enough to rejoin the conversation.

"I can't get involved with someone that I'm working with. Don't shove your relationship in my face, you guys are different," Quinn could see it in Santana's eyes, "You're established. Besides, I don't even know how _she_ feels. There is no way in hell that I'm going to make a move on someone who feels not a thing the same. Not when we have to live together _and_ work with other daily."

"Well, we think she does feel the same, but whatever... what if _she_ makes a move on you? What will you do then?" Santana played Devil's Advocate far too well for her own good.

"That... won't..." Quinn seriously hadn't thought about that, mostly because she hadn't thought about Rachel feeling the same way. If it did happen, though, "I'd have to stop her..."

"Why?" both Santana and Brittany leaned in, jumping down Quinn's throat.

"Because I can't..." Quinn trailed off, the reasoning suddenly foggy in her mind, "Can't you just be sensitive to my professional morals and stop thinking with _my_ vagina?"

"Clever, but ew," Santana winced and waved her hand in front of her.

"I just can't even _think_ about being in any kind of relationship beyond a friendship with her when we have rehearsal eight to ten hours a day for six weeks," Quinn huffed, her eyes wide and looking between Brittany and Santana.

"What about once we're in performance? Things will be completely different then. That's six weeks of eight shows a week. You'll have more time and you're relationship with the actors will be completely different," Santana's finger was tapping at her bottom lip daring Quinn to say she was wrong.

"I-" Quinn couldn't think of anything that could prove her wrong.

"I challenge you to six weeks of friendship with Rachel. Pure friendship, nothing more and nothing less. In six weeks, we hold a meeting just like this one and re-evaluate your... situation," Santana smiled, far too proud of herself. She purposely used the phrase "I challenge you" knowing that Quinn would never turn down a challenge.

However, "You're totally playing on my inability to turn down a challenge and while I appreciate that you're using it to 'help' me, I don't... appreciate it."

"So you accept?" Santana held out her hand.

Quinn shook her head and slowly extended her hand towards Santana.

"NO!" Brittany jumped up from Rachel's bed and grabbed their wrists, "You should pinky promise, that's way more solid than a handshake."

"Fine," Quinn sighed and picking up her fist and sticking out her pinky.

"Excellent," Santana breathed as she did the same. Their pinkies linked and Quinn crossed her eyes as they both kissed their fists where their thumbs and forefingers met.

"Now it's law," Brittany smiled.

Six weeks of a friendship. That was an easy challenge. It was plenty of time to realize that these _feelings_ she was experiencing were nothing and the crush was just shock over being wrong about her roommate. Quinn was confident that in six weeks, they'd be simply evaluating that a friendship was all Quinn ever wanted with Rachel.

Simple.

* * *

**A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed this one! As always, I love hearing from you.**


	9. War

Week 1 of rehearsal and the "Pure Friendship Challenge"

So, stage managing two shows at once was a little more difficult than Quinn had predicted. She was dealing with two different directors, two partially different casts and sets and one thus far useless ASM. The schedule was pretty intense as well. _As You Like It_ rehearsals went from 9-1 and _The Wedding Singer_ rehearsals were from 3-7 with dance rehearsals from 7:30-9:30 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

It only took until Tuesday for Quinn to start napping during the two hour break.

Luckily, for the most part, both casts were quite cooperative. Of course all of the ensemble members (aka the interns) were in the quest for Equity points so most of them were great to work with. It was a few of the principles that were Equity and only doing one show that were a little on the needy side. It wasn't anything beyond the realm of what Quinn could handle, but it was still annoying.

Although, if she had to hear Holly Holiday bitch about _only_ getting ten minute breaks for six weeks she might go insane.

She survived the first week of rehearsal. That was what really mattered.

She also successfully maintained a normal friendship with her roommate. Since Santana and Brittany barely left her side when she wasn't working or sleeping, that wasn't all that difficult to do. They also constantly invited her.

Rachel was also the least crazy in the casts. Quite literally the opposite of Quinn's prediction. She never complained, she was never late, and she never expected stage management to keep track of all of her blocking like at least 75% of the cast had.

She was a great roommate, too. Another unexpected development. Quinn's standards for a great roommate were someone who didn't bug her and didn't touch her stuff without asking. Rachel had plenty of her own stuff and honestly, Quinn thought she was too adorable to be annoying. All the time. She wanted it to be annoying but she just couldn't convince herself that it was.

Maybe she wasn't getting enough sleep and she was becoming delirious... yeah, that had to be it.

Good thing it was Saturday. That meant rehearsals were done at 7 and Sunday there were no rehearsals!

Quinn was sleeping in.

"Hey Quinn?" she tried so hard to get away.

"Yes, Blaine?" Quinn turned on her heel just before she got to the stage door to see a big group a people gathered behind her. This didn't look good.

"Some of us were going to get dinner and drinks and were wondering if you wanted to join," Blaine had his most charming smile on, which was really the only smile he had.

"Ummm..."

"Come on Quinn, it'll be fun," Charlie, her usually much more helpful ASM wagged his dirty blonde eyebrows up and down at her.

"I don't know..."

"Come on Q, you're our ride," Santana pushed past everyone, grabbed her and whisked her out the stage door.

"That's a convincing argument," Quinn deadpanned as she tried to get her arm back.

"Quinn you're coming?" an excited voice came from behind her.

"I guess so," Quinn turned around to see Rachel's bright smile. She was going to just drop Brittany and Santana off, but now...

"Can I ride with you guys?" she asked with a cute hopeful look.

"Of course you can Midget!" Santana said stepping over to the backseat, "you can even have shotgun."

"Oh you don't have to-"

"She tries to sit in the back with Brittany when it's just the three of us," Quinn interrupted Rachel, flatly.

"Yeah, Quinn gets pretty mad about that..." Brittany said as she slinked into the back seat on the driver's side.

"I would, too," Rachel said quietly leaning over the center console towards Quinn. It was the closest she'd ever been to her, besides that millisecond of contact during their lunch. She could feel her breath on her arm and it sent a shiver down her spine.

As quick as it had happened, it was over and her pocket was vibrating. She started the car and pulled her phone out of her pocket simultaneously.

**iMessage From Satan:  
**1) I know you're only going bc she is and 2) You're welcome.

- I hate you.

Two seconds after Quinn hit send, a cackle came from the back seat. She rolled her eyes and put the car in drive... until she realized she didn't know where they were going.

"That place we went to on Saturday," Santana somehow read Quinn's mind.

Quinn huffed and pressed down on the gas pedal. She looked in her rear view mirror and saw two faces that were extremely close to each other.

"Here," Quinn handed Rachel her phone, "Pick a Pandora station or make one, but do it quick. The cord end should be in the cup holder."

"Um... okay," Rachel tentatively took Quinn's phone. And then it started, "Oh." She started blindly grasping for the end of the cord with her left hand as her right swiped away at Quinn's phone. Rachel gasped, looked over at Quinn and said, "You do not..."

"What?" Quinn asked nervously as they waited at a light.

Rachel let out an mischievous laugh, tapped something and put the phone face down in her lap.

Quinn knew exactly which station she'd chosen as soon as the first few guitar strings were plucked.

"HA!" Santana's face was suddenly in the middle of the two front seats, "Please tell me this is _actually_ a Taylor Swift station. On Quinn's phone."

Quinn simply turned up the volume and started screaming the lyrics as the car erupted in laughter. The song lasted for the rest of the drive and by the end they were all screaming it.

They got to the restaurant first which meant they were in charge of informing the poor wait staff how many foolish theater people they had to deal with.

Thirteen.

If Quinn had realized there were going to be _thirteen_ people that she spent all day and every day with, she wouldn't have been so easily swayed.

"I can seat you guys now if you want?" the hostess said as she started stacking menus up on the podium.

Before any of them could answer a loud wave came through the door behind them.

"Now is perfect!" Brittany hopped up a little.

The hostess took all thirteen of them a single booth then told them six of them needed to go to a booth on the other side. Before anyone could comprehend what she was telling them, she crawled into the booth and pulled up a divider revealing that the booths were connected.

Cue a collective "oooh."

Tina, Mike, Mercedes, Sam, Charlie and Joe took the other side of the wall, while Quinn, Santana, Brittany, Blaine, Kurt and Finn stayed on the original side.

In her booth, Quinn sat on the same side as Brittany and Santana on the end, away from the other booth. She had Kurt to her left in a chair, Blaine across from her and Rachel diagonally across from her. Finn the giant oaf that Quinn could not for the life of her figure out why he was cast, was on the inside to Rachel's left.

This was not a situation that Quinn generally liked to find herself in. It was extremely social. Not that she was completely anti-social, she was just anti-mega-social.

"So, Rachel," Quinn heard Finn's annoying voice as she peered at the menu, "You're from Ohio?"

"Uh huh," Quinn looked up a little from her menu to see that Rachel hadn't looked up from hers in her answer.

"That's cool. Hey, we should totally run lines together sometime," he was really good at transitions...

"Sure," she looked up that time.

"I think you're really talented. I can always hear your voice over everyone else's in rehearsal and it's always so... awesome," Finn gave Rachel this doofy smile that someone must have told him was charming at some point in his life.

Was no one else witnessing this? Finn's heinous game.

Quinn looked around to see that everyone was pretty involved in their own little side conversations and _not_ witnessing the pathetic sight in front of them.

"Thank you, Finn," Rachel smiled her always big smile, "You have a great voice, too. I heard you rehearsing _Single_ today."

"Thank you," there was that stupid smile again, "That means a lot coming from you."

Quinn actually thought she was going to puke. She was also becoming inexplicably angry. Why did he think he had a chance with Rachel? How did he get that spot next to her? Why the hell was Quinn getting so mad?

"Hey, Rachel?" Quinn just wanted to rescue her.

Rachel immediately took her attention away from Finn and looked at Quinn a smile.

"Uh..." she hadn't thought beyond getting her attention.

"What's everyone getting?" Brittany asked loudly to everyone.

"Why don't we just get every appetizer on the menu and share?" Rachel suggested looking around the booth.

"I like it," Kurt closed his menu and folded his hands over it.

"That's what we're gonna do!" Sam yelled from the complete opposite side.

**iMessage from Satan:  
**Jealous much?

- I hate you.

"I have to pee," Quinn said shuffling a little bit, "Excuse me."

Kurt scooted his chair over to let Quinn out and as she was getting up, Rachel cleared her throat and said, "So do I. Sorry, Blaine."

"It's okay, Rachel," Blaine laughed a little as he got up.

Once she was free from the booth, Rachel looked at Quinn then nodded her head in the direction of the bathroom as if to say, "Let's go." Quinn's pocket vibrated as she was walking and she knew exactly who it was from. She did _not_ want to read it.

"How did I get stuck next to Finn?" Rachel huffed once the door was closed behind her.

"Uh... he snaked his way in?" Quinn suggested as she selected a stall.

"Ugh! He's been 'flirting' with me since that party. Ew," Rachel said from the sinks.

**iMessage from Britt:  
**She does not like Finn. At all.

Quinn laughed silently at Brittany's perfect abilities. Then, she was struck with a genius idea. She tapped away at her screen, then quickly finished up.

"I'm sorry you're stuck next to him," Quinn said to Rachel through the mirror as she emerged from the stall.

"I'll survive. We won't be here _that_ long," Rachel turned around and leaned on counter as Quinn washed her hands.

"God, I hope not," Quinn exhaled as she shook her hands.

"Oh yeah, you hate people," Rachel laughed and pushed herself off the counter.

"Not all people..."

"Me...?" Rachel asked with her eyes wide as she smiled and bit down on her bottom lip at the same time.

"Hate? No," Quinn said through a smirk as she tossed a paper towel into the trash.

"How about like? I did vow to get you to at least like me," Rachel pointed at Quinn's chin with one hand and yanked open the door with the other.

"I haven't decided, yet," Quinn smirked with confidence on the outside, but on the inside her brain was screaming all kinds of conflicting mess. She really hadn't decided yet.

"You're going to," Rachel said then turned to lead the short way back to the table.

Quinn smiled the moment she saw the booths. She let out a silent, triumphant laugh when she saw Rachel's face when she saw that Blaine had moved into her spot and Kurt had moved from the chair to the booth.

"Sorry we changed seats, Rachel. We just figured it would be easier when you came back," Blaine said with always and actually charming smile.

"Oh, that's not a problem at all. I mean, I might get some of Quinn's gross stage manager cooties, but no biggie," she laughed, then looked at Quinn who was attempting to look offended... she completely failed. As soon as Rachel looked at her she laughed.

"Oh and we ordered," Santana said over the din of the other table.

"And we ordered you guys this blueberry lemonade drink that they have," Brittany said with excitement as she leaned over the table a little.

"Um I drove here..."

Santana smirked and held out her hand, "Keys."

"I hate you," Quinn whispered, turning her head so that Rachel couldn't see her say it.

"Drink up Quinniepoo, they're on me tonight," Santana said as she watched the waitress place drinks in front of everyone, including her own water. Her eyes landed on Rachel and her annoying smirk played back onto her lips.

Quinn immediately rolled her eyes and looked away from her and as her eyes landed hers and Rachel's matching drinks, she felt a pair of knees rub up then down on her leg. This was a pair of bare knees on her bare leg. It _was _the summer. She reached forward for her drink and quickly brought the straw to her lips to wash away the returned questionable feeling her stomach.

Her pocket vibrated for the umpteenth time. She sighed as she removed it from her pocket expecting another annoying Santana text. She inhaled sharply when she read her lock screen.

**iMessage from Rachel:  
**Thank you.

She looked up from her phone and was met with the most, every positive adjective in Quinn's arsenal of words, smile that had ever been directed at her.

_That _was the instant Quinn's body declared an all out, no holds barred war on her conscious brain.

* * *

**A/N: I'm approaching some days when I won't be able to write. Just a warning. Updates won't be super frequent for just a little bit. It is the holiday season. I feel like this was short and kind of filler-y. They're getting progressively longer from here though, so *smile and thumbs up*. Hope you liked this one! I always love hearing from you all!**


	10. Cha Cha

The war between Quinn's body and her brain was raging by the middle of week two of rehearsals and most of the time, her brain was losing. Sometimes it was like it forgot that it even worked.

She just didn't want to feel this way. Not now at least. Why couldn't these "feelings" have arisen at a much later time? Preferably when A) they weren't in rehearsal and B) when it would make more sense that Quinn could have possibly developed feelings for Rachel.

These were almost instant and it was just too weird for Quinn to grasp.

Things just weren't supposed to happen that fast. She was sure.

So why could she not stop staring at Rachel all through _As You Like It_ rehearsal on Thursday?

It was a principle rehearsal but all of the understudies were called to take notes and then shadow their part because they didn't have time otherwise. Rachel had sat in the row that the SM table was placed in, giving Quinn a perfect view of her profile. She watched as she mouthed along with all of Rosalind's lines and kept her eyes on Holly, only taking them off to write something down. It was something that she knew she would have thought was the most absurd thing she'd ever seen, but when Rachel was doing it, it was just quirky and cute.

Then, when Rachel was on stage, Quinn was completely captivated. She wasn't even speaking, she was just moving around and trying to stay out of the way, while getting a feel for everything. So was everybody else, but Rachel was the only one she was paying attention to.

Such a mess.

"Hey Quinn?" she heard Charlie whisper next to her.

"Mhm," she hummed, dragging her attention away from the stage and looking over at him on the other end of the table.

"It's 12:56," he shook his dirty blonde hair out of his eyes, an action that Quinn was starting to think was a nervous tick.

"What? Shit!" she jumped in her seat, knocking her prompt book off the table and successfully, inadvertently getting _everyone's_ attention. She smiled and laughed nervously, "Time."

"Nice one, Q," Santana laughed as she walked down stage towards the stairs.

"That was great everyone," the director, Royston Pierce announced in his deep, apathetic sounding voice, "Uuuhh... tomorrow is a full run of Acts I-III, right?" he turned to Quinn for confirmation, she nodded, having memorized the schedule they made together, "and I'll send you all my notes this afternoon. See you all tomorrow. Thank you."

A jumble of "Thanks," and "Royston" came from the stage and everyone dispersed into the house to collect their things.

"What are you doing between rehearsals?" Charlie asked as he slid his lap top into its sleeve.

"Eating then sleeping," Quinn answered as she double checked her prompt script.

"Wanna do those things at my house? It's quiet," he shook his hair again and smiled, maybe it wasn't a _nervous_ tick, just a tick or maybe his curly bangs were a little too long.

All Quinn had to hear was the word quiet, "Sure."

"Cool!" he smiled and slung his messenger bag over his shoulder, across his chest, "I can drive since we're both just coming back here."

"Even better," Quinn was so excited to not be going back to the house where she was going to be far too close to a certain roommate of hers. She opened her back pack and dug out her keys, then shouted over the din of all the actors, "Hey, S!"

"¿Sí, Bitch?" Santana called back from the end of Quinn's aisle.

"Here," she tossed the keys the 10 feet to Santana, "Don't fuck it up."

"And where are you going?" Santana scoffed.

"La Casa de Carlito. See you in two. Don't be late," Quinn laughed knowing that she wouldn't be, but she didn't have Quinn to rely on to get her out on time, so it might get interesting at the house.

But Quinn wouldn't be there, so whatever!

"You aren't coming back to the house?" Quinn only heard Rachel ask.

"Uh... no..." Quinn answered hesitantly.

"Oh," why did Rachel look disappointed as if Quinn was breaking plans...? "Well, see you in a couple of hours then."

"Yeah..." and why did Quinn feel so guilty? She gulped down whatever was eating away at her and looked over to Charlie, "Ready Cha Cha?"

"You're really sticking with that?" he groaned as he grabbed his keys off of the table.

"It's awesome," Quinn smiled.

"Fine. Ready?" he rolled his eyes and turned around to leave the aisle.

"Bye, Quinn," this time Rachel was smiling that smile that really kicked this mess into gear and Quinn felt her brain start to tie the white flag to a post.

No.

"Bye," she exhaled and smiled then looked over to Royston, "Bye, Royston!"

"Oh, bye Quinn. Thank you," the smile on his face counteracted the natural apathy in his voice.

Quinn smiled and nodded then made her way out of the aisle.

"Come on Midget, you can ride with me," Santana called to Rachel.

"Oh that's nice, considering Quinn drove us both here," Rachel scoffed in return.

With her back turned to them, Quinn laughed silently as she followed Charlie to the stage door.

"You know, I like that you don't take my shit," Quinn heard Santana say from a further distance than before. She was glad that they got along, it made less work for her... except that she suddenly wasn't very glad that they were about to be spending time alone together. Clearly not out of any kind of jealousy, but for fear of Santana's tendency to "help."

"My house isn't very far," Charlie said as he stopped at his car, "It's over by the lake."

Quinn was barely paying attention to him. She was far too busy worrying about what could be happening somewhere else.

"You okay? You seem a little..."

"Huh?" Quinn snapped back to the real world and realized for the first time that car was moving.

"... Out of it," he finished his sentence and Quinn felt her face heat. Once again her body was making a fool of her brain.

"I'm fine," she forced a laugh, "I think I just really need that nap."

"Yeah, I feel you," Charlie looked over from the road for a second and laughed, "We're almost there."

"Wow, I can't believe how fast we're moving," Quinn looked around out the windows to see barely any cars on the road with them, "Every time I've ever gone out I haven't gone over thirty. You're going forty-five!"

"Stop going out when everyone else is out," Charlie laughed, put his blinker on and turned down a side street. Quinn watched as giant house after giant house passed on either side of the car until Charlie turned the car into a driveway and she was suddenly staring at a giant house.

"Please tell me that you have like, eight brothers and sisters so that I can feel better about living in a smaller house with nine other girls," Quinn turned in her seat to look at Charlie straight on.

"Umm... just a twin sister..." he smiled a little awkwardly with all of his teeth.

"Gross," Quinn sighed.

"Come on, the longer we sit here the less nap time you have," he laughed a little and opened his door.

Quinn followed his lead, leaving everything but her lap top in the car and followed him up the stairs to the wrap-around porch then through the front door. Of course it had a giant foyer with a chandelier.

"This is absurd," Quinn said as she looked around.

"Eh, the neighbor's is bigger."

"Shut up."

Charlie just laughed and kept walking towards an open doorway.

The kitchen. Of course he was walking them to the kitchen. For lunch.

"How do you feel about grilled cheese?" he asked as he peered into the stainless steel fridge that Quinn was sure was bigger than the kitchen in the house she was staying in.

She was too busy standing in the middle of the kitchen gaping to answer him.

"I'll take that as a no..."

"Wait, what? Grilled cheese. Yes. Please," she woke up.

"Okay, but there's a condition," he stood in front of the fridge with several packages of cheese in one hand and a plastic lidded tub in the other.

"Seriously? A condition?" now she was paying attention.

"You have to sit down," he gestured towards the island with the cheeses and laughed.

"Oh," Quinn laughed and chose a chair, "okay."

Charlie walked up to the island with all of the stuff, put it down, then disappeared down behind it. After a mess of clanking, he came back up with a frying pan and clicked the stove top on.

"I feel like I'm at a hibachi grill," Quinn quirked her eyebrow up as she watched Charlie prepare everything in front of her.

"Don't say that to my Dad. He bought this thing to put across the burners so it could be like one. He's dangerous. Not it... _he_," Charlie was quite serious about this. He stopped what he doing to make sure that his point was emphasized.

"Duly noted," she laughed a little as she opened up her lap top.

"Oh, the WiFi password is 'password,'" Charlie said without looking up from the frying pan.

"Safe..."

"It's a long story, but it involves a reset," he shrugged as he pressed down on the melty cheese sandwich in the frying pan with the spatula.

"Thank you," Quinn realized she hadn't said it yet. He was making her lunch and letting her sleep in his giant quiet house.

"Hey, anytime! You're like, the best SM I've ever worked for and I've already learned so much from you, this is like, the least I can do," he tossed a perfectly browned grilled cheese on a plate and slid it across the island to Quinn, "Seriously, anytime you want to get away from the crazy over there, you're more than welcome to come here."

"Just so you know, there is a one hundred percent chance that I will be taking you up on that," Quinn looked over her lap top and then to her left at the grilled cheese that was even cut diagonally.

"Oh, so it is crazy? I was just guessing," his eyes went wide and looked up briefly from grilled cheese number two.

"Um... it's not _that_ bad..." she looked back to her computer screen to hide whatever betrayal her face was committing... until of course she remembered that Charlie was standing and could easily see her. There was really only one time it was bad and it wasn't because it was crazy. She could escape the crazy with her door and headphones. The door only closed "the bad" in, however and her headphones only stopped it from talking to her. They didn't stop her from going about her business and moving around and mouthing the lyrics to the song in her head and smiling at the picture of her dads and lying on her bed going over her scripts for the thousandth time and being unbearably adorable at every single moment of her life.

"Can I ask you a question? Besides that one," Charlie said then bit into his own grilled cheese.

"You're not going to ask me out, are you?" Quinn was half joking, half serious because it wouldn't be the first time one of her ASMs asked her out.

Charlie laughed, nearly choking on his sandwich, "No. Oh... believe me, Quinn, you are by far one of the most beautiful girls I've ever met, but you are quite literally the opposite of my type."

"Uhh..." usually Quinn was much quicker than this... "Wait! You're gay?"

"Quite," he hadn't stopped laughing.

"Oh, now Cha Cha is _really_ awesome," she leaned over on the stool, laughing.

Charlie's own laughter faded into a pair of pursed lips that only set Quinn's laughter off further.

"Do you like Rachel?"

And the laughter ended.

Then there was silence.

Quinn swallowed hard and wracked her brain for some sort of response. Something. Anything.

"She's a really great roommate..."

She bit down on her tongue and let her teeth run down it, then inhaled slowly; an attempt to sway her nerves from going absolutely insane.

"I mean _like_ her," he looked at her with these sincere and possibly concerned eyes that she didn't like.

"Why?" she asked with a furrowed brow and sat up straight, crossing her arms.

"Um," Quinn watched his Adam's apple move as he swallowed hard, "I'm sorry... it's none of my business..."

"No, seriously, why are you asking me that?" now she was worried about what he might have seen because if he saw it, anyone could have.

"It's just that..." he twisted his lips to the left, then huffed, "you've been kind of... off all week. Just little things like being behind in the script or not writing down breaks, but today... today it was like you weren't even at rehearsal. Except that you were. Staring at Rachel."

With her elbows on the table, Quinn hid her face behind her hands and mumbled, "Oh my god."

"Not that I condone that kind of behavior during important rehearsals," he gave her an 'I'm joking' expression, "But you looked pretty happy. And quite enamored."

"Oh god! Stop. Please, just stop," she shook her head and replaced it hidden behind her hands.

"Why? There's nothing wrong with it," he breathed out a small laugh, "And she's totally into you."

"No..."

"Yes," he said outright, "She was _so_ disappointed that you weren't going back to the house."

"No... I just... I can't," Quinn stumbled. She needed to find a way out of this conversation ASAP. If she didn't want to have it with Brittany and Santana, she certainly didn't want to have it with her ASM.

"You can't what? Have a crush on your roommate? Like someone that you're supposed to be managing?" he stepped back, popped out his hip and crossed his arms over his chest. How could she not have noticed that he was gay?

"All of the above!"

"Oh come on! How long do you think you can dance around how you feel about her before you explode? Especially when she's _constantly_ flirting with you," he lifted his arms up and let them come back down to smack his thighs.

"When she's what?" he was lying. He had to be. Rachel was _not_ flirting with her. Never.

"You don't notice it?" he asked in disbelief. She shook her head with a quirked eyebrow and he gasped, "Oh my god! You really don't."

"Uh... uh..."

"So, when she smiles at you like you're the only person she can see, what do you think that is? And when she touched your arm and hands all those times at dinner on Saturday, what did you think that was?" now he was leaning in closer over the island.

"I don't... know..." she really hadn't noticed. She was so busy trying to keep her own feelings in check that she didn't realize _any_thing else that was happening.

Charlie rounded the island and dragged the chair that was next to Quinn away a little and sat down. He took a breath and exhaled, "You know, I'll be completely honest and tell you that I'm not all that experienced in the realm of love and all that it comes with, but I know that when something comes up, you should go for it-"

"That sounds reckless-"

"Love is reckless," he shrugged in response, "Look, clearly you have your qualms about whatever you're feeling about Rachel, but I think you should throw them out the window. Have a little fling with her... maybe more. I just don't think you should kill yourself trying to suppress whatever it is your feeling. Clearly, in a very short amount of time, it's only made things worse."

"It's been this way since the first night here," Quinn sighed and let her head fall onto her hand on the table, "and it just keeps getting worse."

"Or better..."

"Worse," she looked up briefly and then back down, "Whenever her lips move I just want to stop them with mine and then quickly progress things to bedroom level." She looked up to a surprised Cha Cha, "That's what my brain does when I'm not actively trying to stop it."

"Oh, you do have it bad-"

"But I can't. I just can't. Despite what I want to do instinctually, I logically cannot. Not with this living _and_ working situation," Quinn sighed and rested her head on her hand, "I don't want to talk about it anymore. Please. Now I'm really sleepy."

Charlie nodded and got up from his chair, "The living room is through that door and around the corner. You can't miss it. The sectional is pretty ideal for nappage."

"Thank you," Quinn exhaled and began to follow his directions.

"You deserve good things, Quinn."

She stopped at the doorway that would lead to her nap and slowly turned around.

"You do," Charlie smiled as soon as she was facing him.

Quinn didn't know what to say. What was that even supposed to mean? She just stood there and stared at him for a moment until she couldn't really take the silence between then anymore. Then she shook her head slightly and turned back to the door way.

She walked to where he told her to go, all the while thinking about how much she should hate him for putting her through all that, but she just couldn't. He was right, first of all. Second, he cared enough to notice that she was a little "off" and he even payed attention to figure out why. Just like she had initially thought, Charlie was good people, even if he was annoyingly correct about things that Quinn would rather not think about.

Seriously though, what did he mean? Well, she knew what he meant, but why? Why did he have to say that? It was bad enough he brought up Rachel before she was about to take a nap. Now her brain was plagued with everything that could be... even more so than it was before.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry this took so long. I had a bunch of holiday obligations plus my regular job that I've been working overtime for. Anyways, hope you liked this update. I love hearing from you!**


	11. Crash

"That's not where Rachel's supposed to be, is it?" the director of _The Wedding Singer_, Bethany Strange leaned over and whispered to Quinn.

"No," she looked down at her set diagram and found the RB, "she should be down right."

"She's been extraordinarily out of character tonight," Bethany whispered, "Like, for her."

"I know," Quinn sighed looking back to the stage where Rachel had moved to where she was supposed to be.

It was rehearsal number 18 and they were doing a complete stumble through of the musical. They hadn't learned all of the choreography yet, but they knew all of the music and all of the scenes were blocked.

Since it was a stumble through, everyone was expected to be a little disorganized and they were, but for some reason Rachel was extremely disorganized. She just wasn't present. At all. It was weird and something Quinn never thought she'd see.

"Can you make sure she has the blocking? I'm sure she does, just double check?" Bethany whispered with an expression caught between concern and worry.

"Sure," Quinn nodded as her brain voiced its displeasure in the request.

While none of her unreasonable emotions had subsided, her conscious mind had finally started fighting back. It was actively making decisions... mostly involving avoiding spending time alone with Rachel, but it was much better progress than in the previous week. She took Charlie up on his offer for her to spend time at his house... to the point where she already felt like she might be wearing out her welcome, despite his mother saying that she could sleep there every night if she wanted to. _That_ was a little too much.

Now she _had_ to be alone with her.

And soon because the run was almost over and she was about to call time.

"Okay! I want choreography for the finale!" Bethany yelled as the music for _It's Your Wedding Day_ started.

The last part of the show was Quinn's favorite. Mostly because Santana was the Imelda Marcos impersonator and it was one of the funniest things she'd ever seen. Sam's Billy Idol was pretty great, too and Brittany was _so_ close to getting Cyndi Lauper down.

It wasn't the best musical ever written, but _The Wedding Singer_ was a fun show. It was an interesting pair with _As You Like It_ though.

Against her brain's better judgement, she kept her eyes on Rachel throughout the number. It seemed like she was finally getting her footing. Unfortunately, it was during the finale and in approximately three minutes, it was over.

"Alright!" Bethany stood up and clapped her hands a few times, "For week three that looked pretty damn good! Of course we're aiming wicked fucking awesome, but this is a start! I will get you all my notes tomorrow morning. Enjoy your Saturday night, guys!"

Like always there was a round of 'thank yous' from the stage and then a wave of cast heading downstage, then into the house.

"Um, Quinn?"

"Yeah, Cha Cha?" Quinn chuckled a little as she packed up her back pack.

"I have a date tonight..." he gave her a half smile and lifted one of his shoulders.

"Alright Cha Cha! Who's the lucky guy that's preventing me from coming to your house?" she was joking one hundred percent. Of course she was happy for him. Besides, she had to "help" Rachel tonight...

"It's a guy from school, actually. I ran into him at the mall on Sunday and now a million flirtatious texts later, I'm taking him to dinner," he smiled much more confidently now that he knew Quinn wasn't upset that she couldn't use his house to avoid being with Rachel.

"Aw," Quinn sighed, "Well, break a leg, kiddo."

"Thanks, buckaroo! Pssht. 'Kiddo.' What is that?" he guffawed.

"Sometimes Quinn's stuck in the 1950s," Santana snuck up on them, "You'll have to excuse her."

"Whatever," she rolled her eyes at Santana then looked back to Charlie, "Have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That doesn't leave him with a lot of options, Q," Santana quirked up her eyebrow and smirked.

"San, stop..." Brittany muttered because she was the only one to notice that Rachel had joined them. Well, the only one that wasn't Quinn, because she noticed she was walking up to them when Santana got there.

"A bunch of the cast of going out again," Rachel said as she picked up her bag from a seat on the aisle.

"I'm all set this time," Charlie smiled and started backing down the aisle towards the door.

"Cha Cha's got a date," Quinn teased.

"Oooo," Rachel giggled a little. Just a little though, it faded far too quickly. Something was wrong.

"We're staying in tonight," Santana's hand slid down Brittany's arm to her hand.

"Great," Quinn mumbled and rolled her eyes.

"I'm not really in the mood," Rachel shrugged.

Well, that was already clear.

"Well, I'm gonna go..."

"Bye, Charlie!" Brittany called out as Charlie pushed the door open with his back.

He smiled, waved and walked out towards his romantic future.

"Come on. Let's get out of here," Quinn shrugged her bag onto her shoulder, "I just have to put the ghost light out."

"We'll meet you outside. Come on, Midget," Santana grabbed Rachel's arm and pulled her out the door.

It only took Quinn a couple minutes to drag the ghost light down to the middle of the stage and then tell the production manager that everyone was out. She was outside in the hot, stuffy New Hampshire night air walking to her car where her friends were already waiting for her in no time.

Brittany and Santana were actually keeping a safe for public distance away from each other and Rachel was smiling. Like, actually smiling. Seeing it made Quinn's lips curl up towards her ears without even thinking about it, only proving how very little progress she had actually made on her whole... situation.

"... and they walked around with these funny red hats and shiny red jackets that said 'Bully Whips' on the back," Brittany was almost laughing too hard to get it out.

"They were berets..." Santana's arms were crossed around her.

"Funny hat is a synonym to beret," Quinn said as she wrapped her hand around the driver's door handle and pulled it open.

"Well," Brittany continued when they were all in the car, "it really only worked because two of the biggest bullies in the school stopped bullying."

"Funny story," Quinn turned to the gloriously all smiles Rachel, "the two biggest bullies were also the school's two biggest closeted homos." She laughed as she turned the car on and put in drive.

Santana did not.

"You're one to talk," she huffed from the back seat.

"I wasn't entirely aware at the time," Quinn smirked into the rearview mirror.

"Whatever."

That was Santana's way of saying that someone else was right. For those that didn't know it, they would think that she had just given up arguing her point, but Quinn knew better and the smile on her face said so. She looked in her rearview mirror to see Brittany whispering something in Santana's ear. By the look on Santana's face, it wasn't sweet nothings. Which meant that Brittany was quietly telling Santana to quit it. Then Quinn looked to her right for a millisecond. Rachel was back to her state of melancholy. She had her elbow on the armrest on the door and her chin in her palm as she stared out the window.

Clearly she didn't know what was wrong with her, but she did know that she didn't really like this Rachel. Well, she didn't like to see her this way. It was already quite obvious that she liked Rachel no matter what she was doing, no matter how much she wished she didn't.

Quinn pulled into their driveway and they walked into the house in borderline awkward silence. Santana wasted no time pulling Brittany up the stairs, claiming that she'd been 'waiting all day just to cuddle and watch a movie.' A very likely story...

That left Quinn and Rachel downstairs... alone.

Rachel slipped her bag off of her shoulder and slumped down on one of the couches, picking up the remote in the process. Then she sighed and seemed to decide against it all, getting up, grabbing her bag and heading for the stairs.

A whole lot of nothing got caught in Quinn's throat as she watched it all happen from the doorway. She wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to follow her up the stairs. Perhaps not right away. Maybe after a few minutes. She dropped her back pack onto a couch and headed for the fridge. Jean kept sneaking in and stocking it up with things while they were all at rehearsal. She must have done so while they were at rehearsal today because there weren't apples in the drawer when she left at 2:45 that afternoon.

As she ate her apple she half paid attention to the movie that was on. Actually, she was paying such little attention, she only knew that Meryl Streep was in it. Of course Meryl Streep was in it. She was far too busy thinking about how to handle whatever was upstairs. The problem was that she didn't know what was up there, besides Rachel. You can't prepare for the unknown, so she gave up, threw out her apple core and headed for the stairs.

To the left there was a closed door at the top of the stairs, but to the right there was a wide open door that gave Quinn a perfect view of Rachel lying on her stomach flipping through a book.

"Hey," she exhaled as she crossed the threshold into her room. Rachel just looked up and lifted one side of her lips, then went back to her book. Quinn gulped, suddenly feeling grotesquely nervous and maybe even self-conscious. "Umm..." she swallowed again, "I know that you know your blocking because you're like, really great with that, but Bethany just wanted me to make sure..."

She let her sentence just fall away, feeling like an absolute asshole. Rachel knew her blocking. This was something else. Quinn really wasn't sure she wanted to indulge in that aspect of what a friendship involved. It wasn't because she didn't care, it was because already cared too much.

Rachel looked up again with her brow slightly furrowed and her lips curled between her teeth, then looked back down, "That won't happen again."

"I know... it's just... are you okay?"

Well, it looked like something inside of her made the decision to ask. She really wasn't going to do it. She was _going_ to just open up her lap top and do a bunch of nothing on the internet like everyone her age did. Instead her mouth just grew its own brain and probably just opened up a giant can of worms.

"Not really," Rachel said to her book and _then_ looked up, "I don't really want to talk about it though so you're of the hook."

Ouch.

"I'm asking because I care," the tone in Rachel's voice caused Quinn to feel the need to defend herself, even if she had never really _wanted_ to ask it.

"I know," Rachel said in a much less hostile tone, "It's nothing. I'll get over it."

"It doesn't seem like nothing. I mean-"

"It's fine, Quinn. I _really_ don't want to talk about it, okay?" and there was the mild hostility again. This time it was punctuated by the pages of her book being slammed together, creating a dramatic, hardcover smack.

"Okay. I'll just, um... send out my rehearsal reports..." Quinn moved around awkwardly, gathering all the things she needed to accomplish the task: her lap top and prompt book.

She slumped down onto her bed and opened up her lap top causing the screen to pop back up to life with her rehearsal report form already nearly complete. She looked over to Rachel for a moment to see that she had opened her book back up, sighed silently then opened her prompt book to find all of her Post-It notes that she'd placed throughout the script. As she typed out the notes in their designated section of the report, she removed the Post-It from the page crumpled it up and tossed it in the wastebasket between hers and Rachel's bed.

As she turned her head to toss another note into the trash, she heard a rumble in the distance. Just what the night needed, a poignant thunder storm. At least the air would cool down a little.

"Oh my god!"

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!" Quinn flung herself back and smacked her head into her pillow, "Cuddle and watch a movie, my ass."

"Are they like, on the door?" Rachel sat up shaking her head.

"Probably. I don't think Santana likes to leave a surface unfucked on," Quinn said flatly to the ceiling.

"Gross," Rachel laughed.

She laughed. Quinn's head turned to see it. She was so beautiful when she laughed. Her head snapped back towards the ceiling as soon as the thought entered her mind. That was the exact thing she'd been avoiding all week.

"And you're going to live with that when you go back to New York?" she was still laughing.

"Our rooms are on different ends of the apartment," Quinn was starting to catch Rachel's laughter, but she would _not_ look back over at her.

"I feel like that might not be far enough."

"I'll be fine," Quinn laughed a little louder and looked over... dammit.

Now Rachel was completely facing Quinn with her legs crossed and her shoulders shaking with laughter. Then her eyes lit up and she jumped up off the bed. "I have an idea," she said as she walked over to Quinn's side of the room, "Can I use your speakers?"

"Sure," Quinn sat up to see Rachel standing in front of her bureau already holding the speakers.

"How loud do they get?"

"Pretty loud," Quinn smiled as she figured out what Rachel's idea was, "What are you going to play?"

"I hadn't gotten that far in the details..." Rachel shifted her weight to her left leg and let her hands drop the speakers to her sides.

"Oh! I got it!" Quinn had her phone out and the music open before she finished saying it. She tapped the 'u' and started swiping, "This is one of my favorite songs to scream when I'm in a bad mood."

"I'm not in a bad mood," Rachel huffed and placed a speaker on her hip.

"Yeah, sure," Quinn quirked up her eyebrow and looked up from her phone for a moment.

"Maybe a little," Rachel said, then walked to the doorway and placed the speakers on the floor inside of it.

"Anyways," Quinn got up and took the cable from Rachel, "How do you feel about Muse?"

"Is it loud?" Rachel asked with her arms crossed and leaning on the door frame.

"It will be," Quinn smirked and pressed play. Immediately a sort of grinding sound rose from the speakers. Then, it progressed in stages starting with a rhythm formed with drums and guitars then adding in a string of clapping and synthesizers. It culminated in two notes played by a guitar that appeared throughout the song. Then, Matthew Bellamy started singing the rebellious lyrics that for some reason Quinn had never really taken the time to learn. It was mostly because she was always so excited to scream out the chorus.

"Okay, ready? It's the chorus that you have to sing! It's easy," she said to Rachel over the verse, then turned the speakers up even louder. "Oh and the 'come ons!' You have to scream those, too!" she remembered just before one happened. "Here!"

**"So come on!"**

"This is the chorus!"

Quinn closed her eyes and started screaming:

"**They will not force us!  
****They will stop degrading us!  
****They will not control us!  
****We will be victorious!  
****So come on!"**

Quinn opened her eyes and was met with Rachel's face full of laughter. And then she got a little lost.

"This is great!" Rachel yelled through her laughter, "I can't wait for the next chorus!"

"It's coming up!" Quinn yelled back, snapping out of her 'Rachel is so beautiful' thoughts.

"**So come on!"**

"Yeah!" Quinn threw up her arms in excitement when Rachel caught on to the pattern of the song.

During the vamp before the chorus began, Rachel jumped forward towards Quinn, then started yelling:

"**They will not force us!  
****They will stop degrading us!  
****They will not control us!  
****We will be victorious!  
****So come on!"**

"I have another idea!" she yelled in the pause in music.

Quinn couldn't help the snort that pushed through her nose. The slight embarrassment on Rachel's face was too adorable.

"What is it?" Quinn asked over the 'Heys' shouting through the speakers.

Rachel moved back to the door, grabbed the speakers, moved them right outside of Brittany and Santana's door and turned them up as loud as they would go.

In one little devious action, Quinn's crush on Rachel multiplied by at least a thousand. The look on her face was something she'd never seen before, but she liked it. Like, _really_ liked it... in a few places.

"**Hey! Hey! Hey!"**

Now Rachel was jumping up and down in the hall.

"Come on," she mouthed and waved for Quinn join her.

Quinn moved into the hall just as the last chorus started. She started jumping with Rachel and they yelled into each others faces:

"**They will not force us!  
****They will stop degrading us!  
****They will not control us!  
****We will be victorious!  
****So come on!"**

At the last "so come on" they stopped jumping and just so happened to turn towards Brittany and Santana's room. There, standing in the open doorway was an extremely agitated and nearly naked Santana.

"You done?" her tongue was pressed up against her bottom lip and her hand was on her hip.

Quinn was dead. They were one hundred percent successful. She was laughing so hard she could barely stand. Rachel actually couldn't stand. She had backed up into the wall and slid down it.

"Oh my god! We'll keep it down, just shut the fuck up!" Santana growled over their laughter then slammed the door.

The dramatics only caused Quinn and Rachel's laughter to persist. Until of course they were interrupted by gigantic crash of thunder.

"Shit!" Quinn jumped and sprinted for her bed.

"Uh... Quinn?" Rachel called from the hall. She came into the room with the speakers, Quinn's phone a a puzzled look on her face.

"Yeah?" she winced as a strike of lightening lit up the sky out her window.

"Are you afraid of thunder and lightening?"

"No."

_Crash._

"Fuck!" she pulled her blanket over her head, successfully proving that she was, in fact, afraid of thunder and lightening. "Don't tell me that I'm more likely to get murdered by a clown or some stupid shit like that, than get struck by lightening. It's not going to change anything," Quinn said into her knees from under the blanket, "I hate when people say that."

She felt the bed shift and then what she figured was Rachel's hand land on her foot, "I wasn't going to say anything." Her tone was soft and she punctuated her sentence with a squeeze to Quinn's foot. It made Quinn's fear subside, but opened up a flood of something else. It was even more terrifying than what was going on outside. Her heart was hammering against her chest and her stomach felt like it was trying to escape out of her throat.

"Quinn?"

"Mhm?" she hummed, afraid that if she spoke actual words, her voice would do something stupid like crack.

"Do you have any candles or a flashlight?" Rachel's hand left Quinn's foot and she was suddenly able to breathe a little better.

"Yeah, why?" she still didn't want to leave the comfort of being hidden by the blanket.

"The power just went out," Rachel exhaled in a sort of laugh.

At least one of them thought things were funny.

* * *

**A/N: Greetings FF people! I'm so weird... anyways, hope you liked this one! I think it's one of my faves actually... so far at least. Have a wonderful day! I'd love to hear from you all!**


	12. Out the Window

A tree went down in the cul-de-sac, successfully taking out an entire telephone pole. Luckily it fell away from all of the houses, but it still knocked the whole street's power out. That meant no internet, no television and no air conditioning. In the 21st Century, power outages were the most boring occurrence on the planet. Well, except for Brittany and Santana. They were as loud as they wanted to be to make sure that everyone knew they weren't bored.

Quinn put her head phones on to get past the rest of the storm _and_ avoid the sounds of her neighbors. Of course that was after she vocalized where her flashlight was to Rachel. With her headphones on and the covers over her face, she wound up falling asleep and inadvertently avoiding Rachel for the rest of the night.

At around 2 in the morning, she woke up sweating her ass off. No A/C. She pulled her headphones off and then her t-shirt and her shorts. With only the light from the moon shining into the window next to her closet, Quinn made her way to her bureau and dug out a sports bra. She _wished_ she could sleep without any clothes on, it was so hot, but alas, she had a roommate... and cue a progression of thoughts that moved very quickly to NC-17. She closed her eyes tight, then opened them back up to change quickly. When she crawled back into bed, the same thoughts came roaring back. They were there when she closed her eyes and when she opened them.

This hadn't happened before. Of course she'd thought about it, but she could usually think of something else and it would go away. Not now. Now they just kept fighting their way back every time she tried to think of something else, like how much she wished she was sleeping. They weren't awful... far from it actually, but they were frustrating. Everything about this was frustrating. And she was tired. So tired.

She must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next time her eyes were open, there was light shining from all of the windows. It was the sound of a crash that had stirred her. She rolled her eyes and closed them again, wanting to sleep more.

After the third crash and sigh, Quinn gave up with a groan and sat up, fully intending on giving Rachel a death glare. Her plans were halted when she was met with a frozen, lip-worrying, heart-wrenchingly adorable Rachel across the room staring at her, with her knee to her chest, mid-sneaker pulling.

"Sorry," Rachel whispered as if Quinn wasn't already awake, "For some reason I can't balance long enough."

"You are now," Quinn yawned and lowered herself back down, snuggling back into her covers, but still looking across the room at Rachel, "It's because you were staring at me." She just had to say it.

"Because you're- I was afraid you were going to be mad..." Rachel finished putting on her sneaker and shrugged a little.

"Why? Because I don't talk in the mornings?" Quinn assumed that's why she thought that and only dwelled on what Rachel had started to say for a few very long seconds, "I just don't really like having full conversations immediately after opening my eyes. You must notice that once rehearsal starts I'm quite chipper." Chipper was a blatant overstatement, but it made Rachel laugh, which made Quinn smile because it was perfect.

"Oh, the chipper-est," Rachel continued her light laughter as she walked towards the door, "Well, I'll let you get back to quiet sleep."

"Where are you going?" Quinn shot up faster and spoke louder than she would have ever wanted.

"Just... a walk. Usually I'd go for a run, but I'm not sure my legs are up for it. The last couple dance rehearsals have been killing me," Rachel bent down rubbed a spot over her left knee as she scrunched up her nose a little.

"You wouldn't want company, would you?"

'_What are you doing?'_ Quinn mentally sent her palm to her forehead.

"I'd love company," Rachel smiled and popped up on her tip toes briefly, another action that Quinn thought was one of the most adorable things she'd ever seen. That list was getting _really_ long.

What happened to avoiding Rachel? She'd gotten so good at it and all of a sudden, after one night of fun... that was interrupted by a horrendously terrifying thunderstorm... amongst other things... all of her progress was chucked out the window.

"I'll be ready in a few minutes," Quinn flipped off her comforter revealing her sports bra and underwear that she had forgotten she changed into until she was done yawning and cracking her neck. She looked down at herself and then with for sure pink cheeks looked at Rachel. She was staring at her for a second time that morning. Once again she was frozen, but this time she looked... lost or intrigued... Quinn couldn't tell, but she _could_ tell that Rachel didn't seem to be breathing... "Ummm..."

"Uhhhh..." Rachel blinked several times and took a step back, pointing at the door behind her with her thumb, "I'm gonna go uh... get a banana or something." Immediately she turned around and left the room, swinging the door behind her and hitting the stairs before it even closed.

After filing the moment away in the cabinet marked: "Things to Not Tell Santana... or Charlie About Because They Might Say 'I Told You So' When It's the Last Thing I Want to Hear," Quinn got up and dug some clothes out to put over her not clothed body. It had cooled down a little bit, but her phone still told her that it was 83 degrees outside. It was 9AM! New England really had some crazy unpredictable weather. As she got dressed, she tried her damnedest not to think about what had just happened, which meant that was all she could think about.

She was still convinced that Rachel couldn't possibly like her. At least not the way that Quinn continuously found herself liking Rachel. No matter what Brittany, Santana and Charlie said. Actually, Frosty the Snowman had a better chance in the Sahara than they did at being right about Rachel. She must have just... she umm...

There was an explanation. Without a doubt. There was a reason for whatever it was that had just happened.

Quinn finished tying her sneakers that she usually didn't tie and jogged noisily down the stairs. Hopefully it woke _at least_ the girls in the room that shared a wall with the stairs up.

"How does two miles sound?" Rachel asked in her usual confident tone once Quinn was in sight.

"Like ten-thousand-five-hundred-sixty feet," Quinn spewed out the conversion with disgust over how much worse it sounded than 2 miles.

"And I thought I knew weird stuff," Rachel giggled out and started walking towards the door, without re-asking if two miles was okay or not.

"What if two miles wasn't okay?" Quinn asked as she slammed the front door behind her and power walked after Rachel.

"Then I'd lose my very attractive and thoroughly entertaining company," Rachel smiled to a completely caught off guard Quinn, "And I meant two miles one way..." she pulled the corner of her lip and ducked her head down.

"FOUR MILES?" Quinn completely forgot about Rachel calling her attractive... well, not really.

"To the lake and back," Rachel pleaded, "We can rest when get there!"

Not the pouty/smirky face!

She hadn't seen it in two weeks and there it was, making her walk four miles at 9 o'clock in the morning.

"Fine," Quinn huffed as they passed the tree removal and utility workers.

This was the first time they'd been alone together for an extended period of time for over a week since their lunch the second day they were there. Quinn had made sure to keep conversations short when they had been alone together in their room. As soon as they were far enough away from all of the noise, Rachel started asking questions about Quinn. Well, she actually asked questions about Emerson and their program, but they were questions that only Quinn could answer considering she was only person Rachel knew that went there. It didn't go unnoticed that Rachel barely infused her own experiences from NYCDA into the conversation. By the time they sat down at a picnic table by the lake, Quinn had completely exhausted the topic of Emerson College.

Quinn sat down on the table with her feet on the bench and Rachel sat down on the same bench on the other end. As soon as Quinn saw Rachel take a breath and open her mouth, she interrupted her, "No more school questions."

"How long have Brittany and Santana been together?" Rachel said in the same breath she had taken before.

"Were you going to ask that all along?" Quinn asked with her eyebrow quirked and wondering where she could possibly be going with this.

"Yes and no," Rachel shrugged and turned on the bench so that she was straddling it, "That wasn't my initial question, but I had always intended on asking it."

Quinn's quirked eyebrow turned into a furrowed one as she answered, "Five years minus six months."

"So four and a half years...?" Rachel questioned as if that were the same thing, which it was, but not to Brittany and Santana.

"They don't count that six months, though," Quinn shrugged.

"Umm...?" Rachel was absolutely baffled.

Quinn chuckled a little, "Brittany moved out one day and lived with a friend of theirs for six months. They never broke up, but they didn't speak to each other."

"Wait, why?" Rachel's interest scooted her forward on the bench towards Quinn's legs.

"They've been together since high school. When they moved to New York they had each other and their lives only revolved around each other. Brittany just thought they needed some self time. Santana was the biggest mess for a month, but then it just clicked. They both gained lives outside of each other and now their stronger than ever," Quinn smiled and shrugged, "Seriously, if they ever actually break up now, I might lose all faith in love."

"That's sounds a little over the top," Rachel scoffed.

"You can't tell me that there isn't a couple that you know that if they weren't together anymore your entire world would be shaken," Quinn turned as she spoke, her knees hitting the edge of the table.

"I guess..."

"You guess?"

"My Dads... if my Dads separated I wouldn't know what to do with myself, but that's because they're my parents, they're _supposed_ to be together forever," Rachel shrugged it off.

"While that may be true, they're your faith in love," Quinn was _going _to convince Rachel, "My parents aren't together. It's better that way." She took a breath, briefly second guessing what she was about to say, then just thought, _'fuck it,'_ "I didn't really think it was a real thing until I saw what Santana went through for it. I know it's really cheesy and any amount badassness I might have had is completely gone, but until I find it myself, all of my belief in love hinges upon the existence of my best friends' relationship."

As soon as she was finished she turned back to face forward and avoided making any sort of eye contact with Rachel, who was smiling... not with her mouth, but her eyes. It was way too much, especially after all of that.

"It's romantic-"

"Hopelessly," Quinn breathed out and glanced at Rachel out of the corner of her eye.

"I'd say hopeful," Quinn could see Rachel's head dip toward her, trying to get her to look at her.

"Tell that to Santana, she just thinks I need to get laid," Quinn laughed, looking at Rachel then stopped, wondering where the fuck that came from.

"Well, that's not fair coming from someone who gets laid daily," Rachel deadpanned then rolled her eyes, "Besides, you don't seem like the one night stand type."

"Not in a while at least," Quinn smiled a little awkwardly and shrugged.

"Now, do you actually like guys _and _girls or are you just not averse to sleeping with one of them?" Rachel asked with a completely serious and curious expression.

Quinn was just confused, "Uh?"

Rachel laughed a little, "That was my verbose and discreet way of asking your sexual orientation." She scrunched her face and suddenly looked a little shy.

"Oooh..." Quinn ended the syllable with her lips hanging in the O, "Both. My most recent relationship was with a girl... not that a year is very recent..." she trailed off the sentence as her brain actually caught up to her mouth.

"I take it that it didn't end too badly since you haven't sworn off the female population," Rachel laughed, clearly joking.

"No," Quinn laughed and shrugged, "It was pretty mutual. She was graduating and moving to Western Mass and I guess neither one of us thought long distance was worth it."

"Hmm..." Rachel crossed her arms and put on a thinking face. A dangerous thinking face.

"What?" Quinn turned, nervously and just in time to watch Rachel stand up and get onto the table, her hip bumped up to Quinn's.

"I'm going to help you find a significant other," Rachel said with her 'best idea ever' face and nudged Quinn with her shoulder.

"Please don't do that," Quinn turned her torso and made sure that her face matched her serious tone.

"I think I'd be really good at it," she singsonged back.

"I'm serious!" Quinn's adamancy sent her hand down to where she thought the table would be. She was right, except that Rachel's thigh blocked the way. As soon as her hand met bare skin, her eyes went wide and locked onto the connection. Suddenly the only things in the world were her hand, Rachel's leg and her pounding heart.

"Quinn?"

And Rachel's voice.

And Quinn's lungs. Since when was breathing so difficult?

One accidental touch and the war between Quinn's conscious brain and her body was over. Waving in the gray matter was a gigantic white flag.

She took one slow breath and closed her eyes. Then, without taking her hand off of Rachel's leg, opened her eyes again and turned her head. She watched Rachel's eyes dart around her face, then land to where Quinn had both nervously and wantonly slid her lip between her teeth. Her lip popped out from between her teeth as a breath hastily left her lungs and just as she started to slowly shake her head, Rachel's moved forward, pausing her lips mere millimeters from Quinn's.

Quinn couldn't stop herself. She finished what Rachel had started and pressed her lips into hers. They were perfect. So was the hum that vibrated through Rachel's lips into Quinn's. Her heart was pounding so fast it made her lightheaded and her stomach was fluttering into her chest. Usually she'd think she was sick, but right now it was the most amazing feeling she'd ever experienced.

Then her brain took over and reprimanded her body for what it was doing.

"I can't," she whispered through heavy breathing as she took her lips back.

"But you want to," Rachel leaned in and hovered her lips over Quinn's again. Quinn nodded as her eyes peered down her nose to Rachel's full, soft lips... lips that Quinn now knew for a fact were soft. "So why can't you?" she nodded her head up, skimming her nose against Quinn's.

"Because..." the reason was falling right out of her head and into the atmosphere as Rachel's hand moved up and landed on her cheek.

"Because...?" Rachel cooed as her thumb stroked up and down on Quinn's skin.

"I like you," that couldn't be the reason... things were getting foggy.

"I knew I could get you to like me," Rachel smiled and laughed lightly, "But that doesn't sound like a reason why you can't kiss me."

Just hearing her say it made her stomach flutter again and clouded her thoughts.

"I... we have to live together... and we work together, sometimes ten hours a day," the facts pushed their way through the fog in her brain.

"I like you, too, Quinn," Rachel's hand slipped down from Quinn's cheek over her shoulder, down her arm and onto the hand that was still on her thigh, "A lot. And I _love_ working with you. The way that you're quietly in charge during rehearsal is so sexy. When I'm not working, I watch you watching everything happen. The way you memorize what's unfolding in front of you, it's... I don't know..." she nibbled on her lip nervously then looked down at their hands, "And you're still way too pretty to be a stage manager..." she looked back up to meet Quinn's eyes, "but I'm not complaining."

"You're too charming for your own good, Rachel Berry," Quinn shook her head and let her eyes land Rachel's smirking lips. _'And a really good kisser_,_'_ she finally kept something inside of her head.

"What if we take things slow? Like, extreme baby steps slow?" Rachel asked with a hopeful smile.

"But what if-"

Quinn's rebuttal was stifled by those full, soft lips. This time, Quinn's bottom lip found itself being sucked lightly in between Rachel's and she was the one that hummed into Rachel's lips. All the same things that had happened to her body the first time were replicated perfectly.

"Okay..." Quinn answered barely backing her head away, "Maybe..."

"I can work with maybe," Rachel smirked.

"Wait, were you really about to start looking for someone for me?" Quinn backed up a little and quirked up her eyebrow.

"I was um..." Rachel scratched under her ear and looked down nervously, "going to help you find me."

Quinn actually felt like her heart was swelling in her chest and she sighed into a smile, "You are officially the most adorable human on the planet." As she said it, her thumb automatically rubbed against Rachel's thigh.

"But it's still a maybe?" Rachel looked back up with her teeth nibbling on her lip.

She _really_ needed to think about things. And strangely enough, she really wanted to consult her best friends. She was going to talk to them about this all along, the reevaluation was just coming three weeks early, so:

"Absolutely."

"Well, if that's the case, prepare for me to woo you pants off, Quinn Fabray," Rachel wagged her eyebrows up and smiled that addictive megawatt smile.

"You mean that literally, don't you?" Quinn exhaled and did her best to hide what an excruciatingly exciting prospect she thought that was.

"Maybe."

* * *

**A/N: Firstly, Happy Christmas! This is seriously a special Christmas update, I haven't even started Chapter 17 yet. Secondly, as I'm typing this (because I have to type this before I post it) I'm channeling one Mister Kevin Hart and thinking to myself: "It's _about_ to go down." So, have a wonderful day, I know not everyone celebrates and whatnot, but still I hope that everyone has a wonderful day. And of course, I would love to hear from you all.**


	13. The Realm of Maybe

"So," Rachel started about a quarter mile into their walk back to the house, "This maybe, what does it consist of?"

"Um..." Quinn wasn't quite sure where she was going with this. Didn't she just say she was going to "woo her pants off?" And if that were so, clearly Rachel wasn't going to go by any rules. At least that's what Quinn was hoping... silently and 100% to herself of course.

"Can I do this?" Rachel's hand slid down Quinn's forearm to her hand, interlocking their fingers.

Quinn bit down on the corners of her lips and swallowed down the embarrassing excitement that had risen in her chest the moment Rachel's hand touched her arm. "Yeah," she swallowed again, "I guess that's in the realm of maybe."

She felt so silly that something like holding a hand could feel so good.

They walked for another quarter mile like this, not speaking, just holding hands and stealing side glances at each other very few steps. Until Rachel cleared her throat, "You wouldn't happen to still want to know why I was in such an unfavorable mood yesterday, would you?"

The reason smacked Quinn right in the face. Knowing what she knew now, it was pretty damn obvious.

"Not if you're going I say it was because of me..."

"Okay, never mind then," Rachel said and turned her head to look forward again.

"I'm sorry," Quinn blurted out an apology for her unknown offense, "I mean, I don't know what I did, but I'm sorry."

"It's not really because of something _you_ did..." Rachel said slowly with her head down, looking at the pavement under their feet.

"But I'm involved...?" for the millionth time Quinn was completely lost.

"Indirectly...?"

"Okay now I have to know," Quinn stopped walking and took her hand back from Rachel's.

"I'm not sure I want to anymore..." Rachel's cheek were quickly turning pink and it was not from a sunburn, especially since her skin had gotten noticeably darker since their summer in New Hampshire had started.

"Oh come on! You've built it up already," Quinn crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her right leg. Rachel bit down on her lips nervously and shook her head. "Please?" Quinn stepped forward and took one of Rachel's hands, "I can't fix something I'm not aware of."

Rachel's eyebrow quirked and she clicked her tongue, "You have literally no control over what happens in my brain while I'm sleeping."

"Huh?" lost again.

"Yesterday between rehearsals, I decided to take advantage of the quiet that I'd been left with _all_ week and take a nap," Rachel huffed adorably.

"Umm naps are awesome..." Quinn just had to interject.

"Not this one... well, it was, until I woke up and you weren't in bed with me. You weren't even in the room. Like you weren't all week," that mood seemed to be returning just recalling the instance.

Wait, did she just say...?

"Did you just-"

"Tell you that I had a sex dream about you? Yes, Quinn, I did. And it wasn't the first, but it was the first to piss me off," Rachel fumed slightly.

Quinn was already aware that pissed Rachel was hot, but a fuming Rachel telling her that she's had multiple _dreams_ about her was just...

"I think that might be outside of the maybe..." Quinn curled her lips between her teeth and hoped that her cheeks hadn't let on how... everything she really was.

"I'm sorry," Rachel turned away then turned right back, "Actually, no, I'm not sorry. I didn't say maybe. _You_ said maybe. I know what I want and until you actually say otherwise, I'm proceeding with the wooing." Quinn watched Rachel's lips hang open for a moment, then close together forming the pouty/smirk that was going to kill her by the end of the summer.

"I just... I need to think..." Quinn stammered out. Something she just couldn't seem to do with Rachel around.

Rachel closed her eyes as she inhaled then breathed out, "Okay."

"Thank you," Quinn smiled. Rachel nodded and started walking again. "Wait," Quinn called when Rachel was two steps ahead. When she turned back, Quinn rushed forward and re-interlocked their fingers. She looked up from their hands and met Rachel's eyes. Eyes that she hadn't noticed until now were a gorgeous brown. Before she got too lost, she smiled and said, "I know I like this. And I know I like you, I just..."

Dammit why didn't her brain work when she was around this girl?

"Need to think. And I'm not making it easy," Rachel looked back down to their hands and swung them a little.

"Not since you walked into the room with just a towel on," Quinn knowingly admitted she'd been experiencing this dilemma since day one.

"I really want to kiss you again," Rachel looked up and bit down on her lower lip.

"Hurry up before my brain starts working," Quinn said quickly before she could second guess herself and she was so happy she had because Rachel took her advice. In one fluid motion, Rachel stepped forward, popped up on her tip toes, placed her hand on Quinn's chest and pressed her lips to Quinn's. With her left hand still intertwined with Rachel's right, Quinn's right hand found Rachel's hip. Her brain mustn't have been working when she tugged on Rachel's hip and pressed their hips together. Her body was _definitely_ working. She couldn't even remember where she was, besides completely in Rachel's personal bubble.

Was that a car horn?

Quinn felt Rachel's lips turn up into a smile, then the vibration of her soft laugh.

"That was..." Quinn exhaled heavily.

"Something to think about," Rachel smirked then tugged on Quinn's hand for them to start walking again.

For a lot of the walk back, Quinn spent coming back down from the high the kiss had left her with. She spent the rest of the time thinking about how uncomfortable she was in a certain place. All the while her hand was still locked into Rachel's.

Then the cul-de-sac came into view and her hand just slipped away.

"This is the part where you avoid me again, isn't it?" Rachel asked quietly as the house got a little closer.

Quinn just looked over and worried her lip. Her answer was yes, but she didn't want to say it. She didn't want to say something like "not for long" or something paired with "I promise" either because she didn't want to disappoint Rachel anymore than she already had.

"Well, I guess that kiss will tide me over for a little," the left side of her mouth lifted up and her foot kicked forward, stopping and turning her body in the walkway to the house. "And thank you for last night, by the way. I completely forgot that I was mad," she turned around and started for the porch. "Oh," she turned back for a moment, "Maybe the next time there's a thunderstorm, you won't have to be scared by yourself." Keeping her eyes on Quinn, she took a step back, then let them linger as she turned towards the house again.

_'Wait, it'll look weird if we walk in separately,'_ Quinn thought and dashed forward to catch up to Rachel who was already half way up the porch steps.

She started to go at them two at a time, but of course she caught her sneaker on the edge of the first step she attempted to scale. Her momentum sent her forward and her reflexes reached out to prevent a fall. One hand connect with a wooden railing and the other: fabric and something curved.

She knew what it was, but she looked anyways.

"I have a feeling that falls outside of the maybe," Rachel turned just her head to catch Quinn still with hand on her ass.

"I'm sorry," Quinn blurted as she snatched her hand back.

"Don't be," Rachel shook her head and continued up the steps.

"There you are!" the distinct sound of Santana's voice rang through Quinn's ears, "I was just about to break into your car. Hey Midget!"

"Hola Chola," Rachel waved to Santana, looked back to Quinn then snuck into the house.

"Ooo nice one! Poetic and offensive!" Santana yelled into the house and immediately turned back to Quinn who was without a doubt still pink from the previous event, "_What_ was that?"

"What was what?" Quinn tried to prolong it as best she could.

"Oh nothing, just the 'I'll see you later' slash 'we have to talk' eyes that Rachel just gave you," Santana crossed her arms and blocked the doorway.

"Please let me in, I need to shower," Quinn mumbled and attempted to pass her.

"And check your phone," she moved out of the way, "it's been ringing all morning."

"Great," Quinn sighed as she passed through the living room to the stairs.

"Hey can Britt and I borrow your car?" Santana was following her.

"Yeah," Quinn huffed at the top of the stairs, "can you give me a second?"

"I guess so," Santana shrugged and slinked past Quinn into her own bedroom.

Quinn rolled her eyes and turned into her room where Rachel was sitting on her bed swiping at her phone.

Thinking about everything was going to be absolutely impossible with _everything_ in the room with her. Clearly Santana and Brittany had plans that didn't involve Quinn. Not that she was _really_ ready to talk to them about it yet.

"Quinn, your phone is ringing," Rachel's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh," from where she was standing she could see that it was her trusty ASM, "Hey Cha Cha!"

_'Please be free. Please be free.'_

"Hey! Where've you been? I've been calling you all morning," he sounded more curious than annoyed.

"I um..." she looked at Rachel who was still looking at her own phone, "went for a walk."

"Oh. Cool. I wanted to tell you about my date," now he was excited.

Yeah, Cha Cha!

"I can't wait."

"Want to come over and hang out until the production meeting? My mom and dad went to Outlet Mall so they'll be gone pretty much all day," he laughed through the receiver.

"Ooo party," Quinn laughed, "Can I come in like forty-five?"

"That's perfect! See you in a bit!"

"See ya!"

"And so it begins," Rachel sighed without looking up from her phone.

"I have to. If I want to give this the thought it deserves, I can't be near you," Quinn whispered because their door and Brittany and Santana's door was open.

"Okay," Rachel sighed, looking up, "but just so you know, I'll miss you. I always do."

She was _way_ too good at wooing.

Quinn tried to breathe away her hammering heart and instead of saying something stupid, she grabbed her towel and walked out of the room.

She poked her head into Brittany and Santana's room and over the throbbing of her pulse in her ears said, "I'm going to Charlie's. I'm going to shower and you can come when I drive myself there, then take my car. But when I need it, you have to give it back."

"No problem, Q!" Santana lifted her head from on top of Brittany's.

"Hey, are you okay?" Brittany sat up from Santana's shoulder, shoving Santana slightly out of the way.

Quinn took a deep breath and stepped fully into the room. When she was next to their bed...s she whispered, "Much later than now or perhaps even _after_ today, we need to have re-evaluation."

"Ho. Ly. Shit."

~~{}~~

Quinn managed to avoid having to exchange goodbyes with Rachel when she left. She was busy on the phone with who Quinn deduced to be her fathers. More importantly, however, Quinn managed to make it to Charlie's without having to divulge a single piece of information she didn't want to. All she had to do was threaten to not let them borrow the car and they kept their mouths shut.

And then she was at Charlie's. Her safe house.

For the most part.

"Do you always go for walks without your phone?"

"Nice to see you, too, Cha Cha. It's a lovely day," Quinn said as she closed the door behind her.

"I know, I was outside while I was calling you _all_ morning," he huffed with his hand on his hip.

"Chill out, Dad, I wasn't by myself," Quinn scoffed and laughed at the same time.

"Oh," Charlie's hand fell from his hip and he stood up straight, "Never mind."

"Ha!" Quinn stepped further into the foyer and kicked her sneakers into the designated shoe area that she missed the first time she was there. She followed Charlie into the kitchen and just as she put her bag down on a chair she remembered why she was there in the first place... well, the reason that Charlie knew about, "How was your date?"

"So great," he sighed, leaning over the counter and resting his chin in his palm, "He's so cute and funny and he doesn't know what a gobo is."

"Oh he's perfect," Quinn gushed with her chin in her palms.

"I know..."

"When's date numero dos?"

"Tuesday after rehearsal. There's an old movie he wants to see and it's playing at the theater in the center of town," he bit his lip a little and then laughed through his nose, "I'm such a dork."

"No," Quinn smiled, "You're happy."

"It was just one date," he stood back up and laughed.

"But it was good. Feel free to be as giddy as you need. I won't make fun of you," she was a romantic after all.

"Thanks," he laughed and backed up to lean against the sink, "So who was your walk with? I'm sure it wasn't Santana. She doesn't seem like the type to just take a walk... unless Brittany wanted to... man she's whipped..."

"And she's a bottom-"

"No!"

"Well, they switch off, but Brittany's totally in charge... I know way too much..." Quinn stopped herself and tried to shake her brain clear of all the information about Santana and Brittany's sex life that she was privy to.

"And now so do I," Charlie was also trying to shake away his new knowledge, "Anyways, you don't really enjoy the company of most of your housemates so..."

Clearly he wasn't going to let up, "Rachel."

"Really? After an entire week of avoiding her, you went for an entire walk with her?" Charlie was actually shocked.

"To the lake and back-"

"You walked like, four miles with _just_ Rachel?" still shocked.

Quinn nodded her response as she bit the inside corner of her lip and furrowed her brow slightly.

"And how was that?" Charlie calmed down his shock and turned it into genuine interest.

For some inexplicable reason, Quinn wanted to tell him. It was all just sitting inside of her with nowhere to go. She couldn't think about it if it was all just stewing in her brain forever. The issue with telling him was that he was going to tell her what he thought. That wasn't something she wanted. _His_ opinion was not going to help her form her own.

"Will you promise me that you'll keep you mouth shut no matter what I say? And I don't just mean telling other people, I mean, I don't want to know what you think. I don't know what _I_ think. Okay?" Quinn said it quickly and with far too much oxygen leaving her body.

"Y-okay," he looked confused.

"I'm serious, Charlie. You're going to think a lot of things, but _do not_ let them come out of your mouth," Quinn's hands were pressed hard to the counter top and starting to turn clammy.

"Okay," he nodded and seemed to brace himself against the sink.

Quinn inhaled slowly in an effort to calm the nerves that had been building since she decided that she was going to tell him. She figured it was probably best to get the major event out of the way. It would be the test to gauge whether or not she'd be able to continue with anything else. If he said _one_ word, she'd stop.

She took another breath and then, "We kissed."

Charlie's eyes popped open wide, followed by his mouth. Eventually, the corners of his mouth turned up and huge open grin grew on his face. Then his mouth closed and he put his serious face back on. He motioned for her to continue, but his obvious excitement placed another smile on his face.

Quinn was also smiling. Just thinking about the two by the lake and the one basically in the middle of the street brought it on.

"As you can tell by the smile that I can't seem take off, it... they were really... they were amazing," she didn't want to downgrade them to a mere great... she couldn't. She looked up from the countertop that she'd been staring at and saw the question in Charlie's eyes, "Yes. They. Three to be exact and each one was better than the one before."

By now, Charlie had his hand covering his mouth and his eyes were scarcely blinking.

"Okay, fine! You can ask questions but the instant you make a statement, I'm done!" she couldn't take the seeing struggle he was clearly having.

"What are you gonna do?" he blurted out the second he had permission.

"I don't know," she answered immediately, "My head is everywhere. I like her," she rolled her eyes, "You knew that. And she likes me," saying it made her chest feel strange... a good strange, "But... there's this awful feeling that creeps into all of the good and makes me think that it's all just a terrible idea."

"The 'what ifs?'" Charlie asked softly as he approached the edge of the stove top on the island.

"Exactly," Quinn sighed and let her cheek fall into her palm.

"Wanna watch Finding Nemo?" Charlie popped up from the counter top and asked out of nowhere.

But it was perfect.

"Yes," Quinn laughed lightly, "But can we skip over the beginning."

"Gladly," Charlie started to lead the way into the living room, "No matter how many times I watch it, I still hope that Coral and all of the eggs are okay."

"Me too, Cha Cha, me too."

* * *

**A/N: I am quite sorry that this has taken so long. Between work and my girlfriend buying a house, I haven't had very much writing time. Don't congratulate me. The house isn't mine at all. She bought it all by herself. She isn't getting it ready for its tenants (her cousin and her wife) by herself though and that involves yours truly. Oh I hope at least one of you thinks this is as funny as I do: So, my girlfriend bought the house from a divorcing (I live in MA) lesbian couple and she's renting it to her married lesbian cousin, her wife and her wife's two daughters AND eventually, we, as in my girlfriend and I, will live in this house. No, you don't think it's as funny as I do... oh well. *Shrug* Anywhoodles, hope you liked this installment. Of course I would love to hear from you all!**


	14. Couldn't Sleep?

After a week of purposely avoiding being in Rachel's company came a week of _unintentionally_ doing so.

First, Quinn accidentally fell asleep at Charlie's house and not just a nap. After the production meeting, they went back to his house and went up to his room to play video games like the bros they were. She closed her eyes for a second at around 9:00 and the next thing she knew it was 6:00AM.

She borrowed Charlie's car to go back to the house and get ready, but by the time she got there, pretty much everyone in the house was gone. A "cast bonding breakfast" was what the note on her door had said.

For three straight days Rachel had costume fittings in the hours between rehearsals, so even if Quinn wanted to be around her, she couldn't be.

On Tuesday an emergency production meeting was called after rehearsal. It lasted for 2 hours. Not only that, but Sugar took the minutes because Quinn let Charlie go on his date. She was really good at maintaining schedules and keeping organized, detailed breakdowns of things, but meeting minutes? Forget it. Her notes were pretty much useless. Quinn had to completely redo them.

Wednesday was the worst.

On top of it being a dance rehearsal day, Royston asked Quinn to meet with him _after_ the dance rehearsal to set up a new schedule for week five. He wanted to have a complete understudy rehearsal. What? She thought it was the dumbest thing she'd ever heard, but she wasn't going to fight with him.

All the while, she was going absolutely crazy. Even with all the chaos, all she could think about was Rachel. When they were in the same room, Rachel didn't hide her feelings anymore. She openly flirted with Quinn, even though they couldn't even speak to each other most of the time. It was excruciating.

Despite thinking about Rachel _all_ the time, she hadn't made any progress on her thoughts on their situation.

On her way back from the theater after her meeting with Royston, she decided to trust her shuffle function. Mistake. Clearly it knew something and decided to play songs she forgot she had and were disgustingly relevant to her life at the moment.

The worst was the last one that played before she got to the house. She didn't even know what it was when it started playing, but once she started listening to the lyrics she couldn't stop. She picked up her phone and glanced at it.

You Give Me Something  
James Morrison

**I was meant to tread the water  
****But now I've gotten in too deep.  
****For every piece of me that wants you,  
****Another piece backs away.**

_Shut. The fuck. Up._

'**Cause you give me something  
****That makes me scared alright  
****This could be nothing  
****But I'm willing to give it a try  
****Please give me something  
**'**Cause someday I might know my heart.**

_Seriously, shut the fuck up._

She kept thinking it, but she just couldn't stop it.

**You only waited up for hours  
****Just to spend a little time alone with me.**

_Oh, well now this is getting rude._

**I never thought that I'd love someone  
****That was someone else's dream.**

_Cut the shit man._

Why couldn't she stop the song?

'**Cause someday I might call you from my heart,  
****But it might be a second too late.  
****And the words that I could never say  
****Are gonna come out anyway.**

_Fuck you, James Morrison. Fuck you and your lyrically perfect song. And your horrendously impeccable timing. Fuck you!_

'**Cause someday I might know my heart.**

"Fuck you!" she screamed at her phone and finally tapped the pause bars. She looked up to the house that was completely dark save the porch light and let out a sigh of relief. She'd been sitting in the driveway for at least half of the song and hadn't noticed that all the lights were off until it was over.

_Well, that was irrational._

~~{}~~

_**But now I've gotten in too deep**_

Quinn wanted to sleep so badly. The last four days had been so long and she'd already gotten in so much later than she'd wanted to. Sleep just wouldn't come.

_**For every piece of me that wants you,  
**__**Another piece backs away**_

Every inch of her brain was dripping with thoughts of Rachel. She wished she just _knew_ what to do. She always knew what to do. Her instincts always guided her in the right direction, but something just kept telling her not to listen to them.

_**And you give me something  
**__**That makes me scared alright**_

As Rachel slept in her bed on the other side of the room, Quinn stared into the darkness at her silhouette. She just couldn't stop her brain. Sick of lying in bed and not sleeping, she threw off her blanket and quietly left the room, tip toeing down the stairs. She rounded the corner to go into the kitchen and crashed, head on into another body.

"Sorry!"

"Hey, Quinn! Why are you up?" the familiar voice of her tall blonde best friend asked.

"Can't sleep," Quinn shrugged and ducked past Brittany to the kitchen, "How about you?" she looked back from the sink.

"Santana's snoring and not the cute kind. You know, it's pretty weird when you can't sleep. You can always sleep. What's the matter?" Brittany the Ever Observant cornered Quinn in the inescapable kitchen.

"Nothing," Quinn shrugged, "I had a coffee during dance rehearsal."

What was that? Why were her reflexes set to "lie her face off?"

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Brittany said with a slight pout.

"Babe, why are you down here... oh," Santana had ninja-ed her way into the kitchen from upstairs, "Hey, Q."

"You were snoring," Brittany turned and gave Santana a soft smile.

"I'm sorry. Come back to bed? I can't sleep without you," Santana yawned and nodded towards the stairs.

"But Quinn needs us," Brittany pouted and then looked back to Quinn.

_**This could be nothing...**_

She did. She definitely needed them.

"I'll be right back," Santana whispered and started for the stairs, "Set up those mosquito things on the porch."

"I know you don't want to talk about it, but it's keeping you up," Brittany wrapped her arm around Quinn's shoulder and guided her out the front door. She moved her all the way to the corner of the porch and signaled for her to sit down in the rocking chair. Then Brittany snatched up one of the bug lanterns and lit the candle inside with a lighter that was already on the porch.

Mere seconds after Brittany had sat down in the other rocking chair, Santana was out on the porch with them, wearing a little bit more than the tank top and underwear she was sporting before.

"Okay," Santana started in her still groggy voice, as she sat on the thick railing of the porch, "First thing's first: What happened Sunday?"

_**But I'm willing to give it a try.**_

"I kissed her."

Might as well give the whole truth.

"_You_ kissed _her_?" Santana's jaw hung open even after she was done speaking.

"I finished what she started..." Quinn trailed off as a moving picture, complete with sensory elements, of everything that had happened at that picnic table flashed through her mind.

"Because you like her," Brittany smiled, leaning against the arm of the rocking chair towards Quinn.

"And she _does_ like you," Santana only kind of said 'I told you so.'

"She wants to take things slow," Quinn needed to make this conversation go her way.

"What do you want?" Brittany asked, leaning back into the rocking chair.

"If I knew, we wouldn't be here right how," Quinn sighed, mostly at herself for being so pathetic.

"Okay, what's stopping you?" Santana tried, "Never mind! I know what they are." Her hand went to the pocket of her shorts and out came her phone, "I have a present for you."

"I don't like presents..." Quinn shook her head and hated every second of waiting for what Santana had for her.

"_Mmm... Rachel..."_

"What the fuck?" Quinn popped up from the rocking chair and tried to grab Santana's phone from her, "Charlie's dead!"

"Chill, Q!"

"Santana..." Brittany cooed through gritted teeth.

"I'm going to delete it! Get off!" Santana grunted as she tried to fend Quinn off of her back.

Suddenly, Quinn felt arms around her waist and her feet being lifted off of the floor. Brittany lifted her and put her back in front of the rocking chair in the corner.

"Why did he send you that?" Quinn felt like her head was going to boil off of her body, she was so angry, "Fuck! Why did he video that?"

"First of all, you woke him up with your moaning... awkward... second, he cares about you, like we do. And he thought you should know what's happening while you're asleep," Santana said as she rubbed her shoulders.

"I'm completely aware, thank you," Quinn expelled through clenched teeth.

"Kurt told me what you did for him," Santana said as she handed Brittany her phone.

"What did I do for Kurt?" Quinn had only slightly come down from her rage high.

"Blaine?" Santana 'duh-ed.'

"Oh, so what?" Quinn shook her head and sat back down. Clearly she wasn't getting out of that corner any time soon.

"And you let Charlie skip the meeting last night so he could go on his date, saying, and I quote, 'I wouldn't want you to miss out on any of your romantic summer,'" Santana crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side.

"I don't see where you're going with this," Quinn huffed.

"When I moved out, you always let me know how Santana was doing, even though you were miles and miles away," Brittany added, handing Santana her phone back and sitting down again.

"You're a sucker for romantic comedies," Santana jumped in.

"And remember when Santana and I started _actually_ dating? You hung onto every word I said to you about all the romantic things Santana was doing to make up for lost time."

"And before that, when I told you how I really felt about Brittany, you were my biggest champion. You told me that I should trust how I felt because instincts don't steer us wrong," they were bombarding her.

'_**Cause someday I might know my heart.**_

"Why do you want love for everyone but yourself?" Santana asked with a sad expression rarely used for others besides herself.

What? That was the most absurd thing she'd ever heard, yet she had no rebuttal.

"She's scared," Brittany, Master of the Not-So-Obvious, said with a sad look not much different than Santana's.

_**I never thought that I'd love someone **_

Two little words swimming in the air easily whisked away all of the oxygen in Quinn's lungs.

"Quinn?"

Trying her best to regain some sort of composure and to re-inflate her lungs, Quinn looked up towards to Santana.

"What really happened with Becca?" Santana asked softly.

Quinn answered the same way she'd been answering for over a year, "She got a job in Amherst and moved after she graduated."

"Right," Santana rolled her eyes, "What happened before that?"

"She _told_ me she got a job in Amherst and was moving there after she graduated," Quinn said thinking confidence, but her lungs and vocal cords betrayed her.

"And what did you say to her?"

_**That was someone else's dream.**_

"Nothing! What was supposed to say? 'No, stay! I love you!' It wouldn't have made a difference. She applied for that job knowing she'd have to move and knowing that I still had a year left in Boston!" Quinn let out what she'd been holding in for over a year.

"Where's Amherst?" Brittany asked.

"East Bum Fuck, Massachusetts," Santana muttered.

"West," Quinn sighed, "Anything east of Boston is Atlantic Ocean."

"You didn't even tell her you wanted to try long distance?" Brittany was suddenly quite stressed about what Quinn was telling them.

"She didn't want that. That was the next thing she said after she told me about the job. Ugh, she talked to me like I was this love sick child. It was the most degrading fifteen minutes of my life. Good fucking riddance," Quinn huffed, throwing herself into the back of the rocking chair.

_**Please give me something**_

"What a fucking cu-"

"Santana!"

"Twat."

"Rachel isn't going anywhere," Brittany smiled, "in fact, she's going to the same place you are when our summer in New Hampshire is over."

"How do you know...?"

'_**Cause someday I might call you from my heart**_

"How will _you_ know if you never even give it a chance?" Santana jumped in, "You need to stop thinking about what could happen and start making things happen. What Becca did was absolute shit, but you can't measure the rest of your relationships with that. Learn from it, don't fuck yourself over because of it."

_**But it might be a second too late**_

"You're right."

"And stop with the other excuses- wait, what?" Santana's arms dropped from her chest to her side as she leaned forward in surprise.

"I know what I want," Quinn sighed feeling a slight weight off of her chest just from saying it.

_**And the words that I could never say**_

"Is there more kissing Rachel involved?" Brittany asked with her chin in her palms like a giddy school girl.

"If she'll still have me," Quinn shook her head, feeling the guilt of putting Rachel through what she had.

"Oh please! She's been throwing herself at you from across the room all week," Santana guffawed in her normal manner.

"You noticed?"

"Helen Keller would have noticed," Santana narrowed her eyes and tilted her head.

"You have to talk to her, Quinn," Brittany was still all giddy.

"I know-"

She was interrupted by the sound of the door sucking open. A flip flopped foot stepped down onto the porch followed by a familiar face... and voice, "I thought I heard voices out here."

_**Are gonna come out anyway.**_

"You have the most impeccable timing, Berry," Santana said as she pushed herself off of the railing, "Come on, babe. I promise I'll sleep on my side."

"It's okay, I'll just elbow you in the ribs next time," Brittany said as she got up, then turned to Quinn and laughed silently. Before she turned to go back in the house, she gave Quinn a quick thumbs up and a smile.

It was a little silly, but Quinn still appreciated every ounce of it.

"See you in the morning, Midget," Santana put her hand on Rachel's shoulder and gently pushed her away from the door and a step closer to Quinn.

"Night, guys," she looked a little lost as Santana and Brittany slipped back into the house.

"Couldn't sleep?" Rachel asked and nervously nibbled on her lip once the door was closed.

"No, which is a rare occurrence," Quinn admitted and hoped Rachel would figure out the why on her own.

"I know," Rachel chuckled and shifted her weight, "usually you're snoring away once your head hits the pillow."

"I have a deviated septum," Quinn mumbled in her own defense.

"I knew that, too," she looked down and tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear, "I heard you singing in one of the rare moments you weren't sleeping in our room. You must have thought that no one was upstairs..."

"I didn't," Quinn replied flatly as her cheeks burned.

"You have a really pretty voice," Rachel stepped forward a little, "it's just so effortless. Oh and the way you speak... ugh some of the tones in your voice... I could listen to you talk all day."

Where did all of this come from? Quinn still couldn't fathom how either of them could have such strong feelings with such little interaction, despite how often they were in each others presence.

"How... do you just-"

"Pay attention to everything you do whenever I'm around you like a creep? Yeah, pretty much," Rachel smiled nervously, twisting her flip flop into the wood floor of the porch.

"That's a smidge more than I was going to say..."

"I don't know what it is. It's like... a spell!" Rachel's arms flew up in question, "I was _convinced_ that you didn't like me and you'd just just been humoring me the entire time. I thought that was it, like _that_ was what was causing all the thoughts... and the dreams..." she trailed off for a moment, shaking her head and the porch floor. She looked up again and sighed, "And to have this desire to know everything about you. Because for some reason I find myself infatuated with things I can't have. And then Sunday..." she bit down on her lip and laughed silently through her nose, "This isn't an infatuation. I'm really feeling these things and it's all I can think about."

"You talk so much," Quinn sighed with a half smile as she stared at Rachel's lips that had finally stopped moving.

"And you don't talk enough," Rachel sighed back and moved to sit on the banister across from Quinn.

"I talk," Quinn leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms.

"You think," Rachel shook her head, "I finally understand what Santana said to me."

"What did she say to you?" Quinn's eyes grew wide, worried about what on Earth her best friend could have said to Rachel and when.

"I told her that I didn't think you liked me at all and then she said, 'Q thinks too much,' as if that were a proper answer. Turns out it was," Rachel laughed a little.

"So you want to know what I'm thinking?" Quinn asked pulling up her leg to hide behind it just a little.

"Yes, please," Rachel smiled and moved over a little bit so she was directly across from Quinn.

"What do you mean by slow?" Quinn asked with a quirked eyebrow. She wanted to know what she was thinking, what she was thinking were questions.

"No pushing and we take things as they come," Rachel's beautiful, hopeful smile returned.

"Okay, and what if something happens and this doesn't work out and we still have to room together? What do we do then?" Quinn still thought this was a legitimate concern.

"Then we'll continue to room together and hope that we can handle it like mature adults," Rachel said with a hint of recognizable uncertainty.

"I'm not sure I like that answer..."

"Well I don't like the question."

"But we have to consider it!"

"Can't we just hope for the best?"

"That's not enough!"

Rachel let out a frustrated groan and pushed herself off of the banister. Before Quinn even knew what happening, her face was between Rachel's hands and her lips were interlocked with Rachel's.

Just like the last three times her body was overwhelmed and she could barely catch her breath when her lips were returned to her.

"Is that a better reason?" Rachel asked breathlessly as she leaned in with her hands still on Quinn's cheeks, "There's no way you can tell me you don't feel that."

"Sometime that's going to stop working as an argument," Quinn nibbled on her bottom lip as she looked down at Rachel's lips and sighed, "but probably not in the foreseeable future."

"The future, huh?" Rachel leaned back onto her heels and gave Quinn the pouty/smirky face.

Quinn smiled and leaned forward in the rocking chair closer to Rachel. She nodded and took Rachel's lips with hers, receiving an encore presentation of every sensation she'd ever experienced when their lips met.

"_That's_ what I was thinking by the way," Quinn let her lip slide between her teeth as she looked back down to Rachel's lips.

"Well, I'm glad you're speaking your mind," Rachel laughed lightly.

"I'll try."

"That's better than not at all," Rachel stood up and held out her hand to help Quinn up... not that she needed help getting out of a chair, but she took it anyways just to be holding Rachel's hand, "So, you think Santana will get off your back about 'getting laid' now?"

Rachel didn't even bat an eyelash at what she'd just said.

Quinn did, however and suddenly she was swimming in a world where someone was definitely on her back... on a bed... or a wall... anywhere really...

She snapped out of her daze as soon as she heard Rachel's giggling.

"Remember when I said 'let's take it slow?'"

"Mhm..." Quinn knew she was blushing.

Rachel looked up with a smile, then leaned forward to place a soft kiss on Quinn's lips. "We should go upstairs," she whispered when she took her lips back.

This time, feeling her usual humor rise, Quinn quirked up a guttery eyebrow.

"To sleep," Rachel smirked and bumped into Quinn with her hip.

"I know," Quinn swung their hands between them as they walked towards the door, "But it's nice to know you're thinking about it, too."

"What?" Rachel turned with her hand on the doorknob. Quinn just smiled, "Mmm... clever, but you already knew that." She turned back around and walked into the house. They walked up the stairs without saying another word, until they were behind their closed door.

"Good night," Rachel smiled and walked towards her bed.

_That's it?_

Quinn reached out and grabbed Rachel's wrist, pulling her into her, "After all that, that's all I get?"

Rachel's lips twisted adorably as her arms draped over Quinn's shoulders, "I guess you can have a good night kiss."

"It's a little late to be playing hard to get," Quinn had finally found her flirty footing.

"Well then, in that case," Rachel popped up on her tip toes and interlocked their lips, "Maybe we could... sleep in your bed again? I mean, since we've already done it once before..."

The thought of it made Quinn's heart pound in her ears and despite thinking it was a little faster than slow, she answered in a nodded 'yes.' Silently they got into the same spots they woke up in the morning after the party, but this time, instead of having their backs towards each other, Quinn's front was pressed Rachel's back and her arm draped over her waist.

The few hours of sleep she got with Rachel in her arms were some of the best she'd ever had.

'_**Cause someday I might now my**** heart.**_

* * *

**A/N: So, I personally hate waiting for fics to update which is why I stayed up way too late to finish Chapter 18. I'm posting this from my new iPad Mini that I worked my ass off to buy. Just thought I'd share that little tidbit. Welp, feel free to leave me your opinions. You know I love to hear from all of you.**


	15. 21st Century Courtship

Slow.

A 100% accurate way to describe how things were going with Quinn and Rachel.

Quinn really wasn't complaining about the lack of haste that was happening in the relationship. Actually, she wasn't even entirely sure if "relationship" was the correct word to call what was happening between her and Rachel. Well, of course it was a relationship, that's how you describe the connection between people, but she wasn't sure if this was a _relationship._

She did know that they had mastered cuddling. It was sweet, cute and very G rated. Every two hour break between rehearsals that Quinn didn't go to Charlie's, they would snuggle up in Quinn's bed (always Quinn's bed) and nap. Well, Quinn would always fall asleep with her arm around a pair of shoulders and Rachel's cheek to her chest. Whether or not Rachel actually slept, she didn't know.

Between their conversation that occurred in the wee Thursday morning hours and the next Thursday, so we'll say 8 days, this had only happened 3 times. Although she wasn't avoiding Rachel at this point, she _was_ trying to retain some normalcy in this "relationship." They weren't official which meant they were in a "talking" stage, but they shared a room. That's what made lines blurry and Quinn so unsure. So, she continued to spend a lot of time at Charlie's.

Cue: Series of flirtatious texts.

Definitely a normal occurrence in 21st Century courtship.

"Rachel knows _why_ you're still spending a lot of time here, right?" Charlie asked as he pushed open his front door, "I mean _I_ understand, but I don't matter."

"She knows," Quinn assured as her phone vibrated.

**iMessage from Rachel**❤**:  
**I kind of miss my human body pillow today :(

- Only kind of? ;)

- Yeah, because I know I'll get to see you again soon.

"And she's cool with not going super public about it?" he was far too concerned with this.

"Okay first of all," Quinn put her phone on the counter face down, "We aren't even like, a thing yet and second of all: she brought that up. I know it seems like something I'd suggest, but she beat me to it."

She bit down on the corner of her lip and picked her phone back up.

- You know, you really are the cutest.

_'That was lame.'_

- You're lucky I'm by myself because if someone saw me blushing this hard, I'd be doubly embarrassed.

"You're flirting with her right now aren't you?" Charlie asked as he tossed a package of wraps onto the counter.

"I told you, we're trying to make this normal!"

**iMessage from Rachel**❤**:  
**So, this time tomorrow? What are you doing? ;)

Hmm... the last time they'd spent the break together was Tuesday...

- Cuddling with Rachel.

- Perfect.

"Well, don't make things _too _normal," Charlie warned as he sprinkled cheese on a wrap.

"What does that mean?" Quinn asked incredulously as she looked up from her phone.

"I mean... like... don't... umm..."

"Words Cha Cha. I know you know some more than that," Quinn joked in a patronizing tone.

Charlie's hip popped out and his lips pursed, "I just don't want to see you suffering from Lesbian Bed Death before you even have a sex life."

"Stop talking to Santana," Quinn said flatly.

"But she's so funny."

_24 Hours Later..._

Quinn and Rachel had _definitely_ mastered cuddling.

As Quinn sat with her back against a pillow on the window, her legs stretched out in front of her and her lap top, Rachel was able to lie down on her side next to her with her arm around Quinn's hip, completely out of the way of Quinn's typing arms.

"I'm almost done," Quinn looked down at a brightly smiling Rachel after she felt a little pinch in her side.

"Take your time," Rachel pinched Quinn's side again, "I just wanted to pinch you."

Quinn laughed and rolled her eyes, returning to her rehearsal report that she really was almost finished with. All she had left was to save it and send it.

To: As You Like It (Group)  
Subject: Rehearsal 29

Attach and send.

"Done," Quinn exclaimed as she leaned over to place her lap top on the floor under her bed.

"You didn't put that I tripped today in there, did you?" Rachel pushed up on Quinn's hip and lifted herself to make eye contact.

"Um... yes," Quinn gulped.

"What?"

"I had to! There's something wrong with those stairs," Quinn defended her inclusion of 'cast rehearsal clothing snagging on UL stairs, causing tripping.' "I didn't say it was you. Besides, you weren't the only one. Tina _and _Holly got caught on them. If I don't say anything, they won't get fixed and your costumes will definitely snag on those. I don't want you to face plant during dress because I didn't say anything."

"I love when you talk," Rachel sighed, blatantly staring at Quinn's mouth.

Gulping again, Quinn lowered herself a little against the pillow and the bed saying, "I have a really long day tomorrow. I should probably get all the extra rest I can get."

"Right," Rachel only looked a little disappointed.

That was an 'I want to _really_ kiss you' face. Like, a 'deep and passionate, completely make out with you' face.

Of course she wanted to, but they hadn't yet and Quinn was absolutely positive that once she really tasted Rachel's mouth, that's all she'd ever want to do.

So, she closed her eyes and tried to go sleep.

Well, as best as she could with Rachel drawing shapes on her bare hip.

_'Do not let her figure out you're ticklish.'_

That plan backfired as soon as Rachel's finger tips traced onto her thigh.

"Rach!" Quinn laughed out her annoyance.

"You are ticklish!" Rachel squealed, then went straight for Quinn's ribs.

"No!" Quinn was laughing so hard she couldn't keep her eyes open.

"What about here?" Rachel asked and before Quinn could react she was straddling her hips and digging her fingers in between Quinn's arms.

"Please! Please stop!"

"Since you said please," Rachel acquiesced.

Out of breath, Quinn opened her eyes and was completely enveloped by the realization that Rachel was on top of her. Her hair had gone slightly awry and she was also breathing a little heavy. Even still, Quinn couldn't help but think...

"You're so beautiful."

That same look appeared on Rachel's face. There was no stopping her this time. Quinn didn't want to.

One of Rachel's hands landed on the pillow next to Quinn's head while the other slid behind her head into her hair. Quinn watched in slow motion as Rachel lowered herself then welcomed her with slightly parted lips. Rachel's lips were always perfect. And their lips fit together perfectly, over and over again.

For once, Quinn decided to take some sort of initiative. Really, she'd be doing both of them a disservice if she didn't show off some of her mad skills... too much time with Santana.

With her lips wrapped around Rachel's bottom lip, Quinn sucked it in between her teeth, licked it, then dragged her teeth along it leaving it with a light nip.

Rachel's face was priceless and so sexy. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes were still closed. Quinn just wanted to kiss her again. As of late, she'd been trying this new thing where she followed through with getting things she wanted. So, she reached her hand up and threaded her fingers into Rachel's hair, pulling her back into her lips.

It must have woken Rachel up because now, there was a tongue skimming along her top lip.

This was it. Quinn was going to let Rachel in and she was going to wish she never had to leave. She opened her mouth and relaxed her tongue, waiting for Rachel to have her way.

What an excellent decision that was. Rachel's tongue met everything it touched with a perfect amount of pressure whether it was hard or barely any at all. Quinn's favorite little trick that Rachel had was licking up the bottom of her tongue. That was until she followed it up the second time around by sucking on it.

Every one of Rachel's actions caused a positive reaction somewhere in Quinn and it wasn't long before she was only half thinking with her brain.

It was one of those moments we're reminded that we're human and just another animal. One that thinks with her whole body. It all works together to get what it wants.

Quinn's torso sent a message to her hands that it wanted the space between her and Rachel to be eliminated. Taking the message, her hands moved to Rachel's thighs and pushed on them. Her hands successfully got Rachel to lower herself again. Without parting their mouths, Rachel moved her legs so one was between Quinn's and so their bodies were completely pressed together. Exactly how Quinn wanted.

Somehow she needed Rachel closer; because the battle that was now going between their tongues, their entire fronts being pressed together, Rachel's thigh pressing into her center and hers into Rachel's just wasn't enough. Quinn's hand that wasn't entangled in Rachel's hair got the message and found something different to pull on in order to get Rachel closer.

At that moment her half a brain rejoined the thought process and realized that the fabric under her hand belonged to Rachel's shorts. A quiet gasp escaped her mouth as she took back both her tongue and her hand.

Rachel smiled, laughed a little, then placed a light kiss on Quinn's worried lips. She looked behind her and grabbed Quinn's wrist, placing her hand back on her butt. "Unless you don't really want to," she whispered when she turned her head back.

Oh, she wanted to.

She pulled on Rachel's ass again, bringing their lips together for the still not enough-th time. Rachel smiled and giggled into Quinn's lips.

Quinn felt like she'd never be able to fathom how Rachel could simultaneously be the most adorable and sexiest person she'd ever been with... not that she'd "been with" Rachel... too much thinking. Besides, she needed what little of her brain worked to be split between her mouth and the hand on Rachel's unbelievable ass.

Quinn had no idea how long they'd been making out, she seriously didn't care. She could never get tired of this. Just like she thought, Rachel's mouth was addictive and she didn't want to stop.

"Hey guysohshit!"

Rachel jumped so hard, she slipped off of Quinn and the bed, landing on the floor with loud thud.

"Rach, are you okay?" Quinn checked for a nod before she started screaming at Santana, "What the fuck? I know you know how to knock."

"Well, sor-ry! I figured you'd just be sleeping like every time this happens," Santana defended herself with a very correct precedence, "Trust me, if I'd known I was going to witness you groping each other I would have knocked."

"What happened?" Brittany came barreling up behind Santana.

"The teenagers don't know how to lock their door," Santana laughed.

"Oh my god!" Brittany squealed, "Wait, where's Rachel?"

"Here," she waved up her hand past Quinn's mattress but didn't even attempt to show her still red face.

"Did Quinn get nervous and throw you off the bed?" Brittany asked, making an unfortunately fair assumption.

"No!"

"I fell one hundred percent on my own accord," Rachel assured from the floor.

"Okay well, just so you kids know, it's 2:35... 7," Santana said looking at her phone after she'd declared the time, "and at least Quinn has make-out hair."

Santana laughed and walked out of the room. Brittany smiled and gave Quinn another one of her thumbs up then followed Santana to their room.

"You sure you're okay?" Quinn leaned over the side of the bed then straightened out as Rachel sat up.

"Yeah," she reached up and started fixing Quinn's hair, "I'm more embarrassed that I jumped like a teenage girl getting caught by her dad. I mean we're twenty-two years old."

"We sure are," Quinn sighed looking down at Rachel's lips. Yup, just as she thought, all she was ever going to think about.

"You can't be late," Rachel smiled as she stood up.

"Shit," Quinn's head fell back to her pillow, then she flew back up and bounced off of the bed.

"How's my hair?" Rachel turned and held up her arms, presenting herself.

Quinn popped up from picking up her lap top and smiled at what she saw, "Perfect."

"You're going to be late," Rachel worried her lip as she looked at her phone.

"I'm gonna be late," Quinn stated back as she slung her bag over her shoulder, "It's cool. It's only the last rehearsal before an entire weekend of tech."

She was oddly calm about it.

"Then let's go!" Santana poked her head into the room.

"Yeah," Quinn sighed and grabbed her keys, thinking about something else she'd rather be doing.

_2 hours and 43 minutes later..._

"Okay everyone, fifteen!"

Weird looks came from nearly everyone.

Quinn rolled her eyes, "Like intermission."

Collective, "Ooooh."

"Thank you fifteen," a certain brunette had snuck up behind her somehow.

"It's my job," Quinn tried as hard as she possibly could to hide how much she liked that.

"Speaking of your job, I have to talk to you about something... as Cast Deputy," Rachel added the last part as if it were an after thought.

"You're not even cast deputy for this show."

Where did Mercedes come from... and everyone else?

"I just got an email," Rachel waved her phone.

"Okay guys, I'm not sure why you're all just chillin' by the SM table, but don't touch anything... please. And thirteen," she called out to her sudden posse, then turned to Rachel, "Come on, we can go backstage or something."

They walked up onto the stage then turned to stage right. Quinn was about to stop, but Rachel kept going through the door to the stairs.

As soon as the door was closed, Quinn was being pressed up against it with Rachel pressed up against her.

1) For a small girl, Rachel was really strong and 2) Quinn really should have seen that coming.

It was like they hadn't stopped earlier and they just picked up where they left off. They took turns taking control for a little and Quinn's hand even found Rachel's butt again.

She cared what time it was this time though. The person administering the breaks couldn't be late coming back. She had to stop for at least a second.

"Sorry," she sighed as she pulled her phone out of her pocket, "Seven more minutes. If you really have some Cast Deputy stuff you should probably say it."

Hopefully she didn't.

"I get emails from Holly multiple times a day," Rachel rolled her eyes and lowered herself back onto her heals.

"I know. She blind copy's me on all of them," Quinn laughed lightly.

What a pain in the ass she is.

"And you still don't care about her useless concerns," Rachel nodded. She took a breath and then got back onto her tip toes, "Actually," she took another breath and looked at whatever she was playing with on Quinn's shirt, "I wanted to remind you that I owe you a meal."

"Are you asking me out on a date, Rachel Berry?" Quinn chaffed with her eyebrow quirked up.

"Yes, Quinn Fabray, I am," Rachel looked right into Quinn's eyes this time, "And I was hoping tonight," and then the babbling started, "I know you have a long day tomorrow, longer than any of the actors, but I was just thinking that since we didn't have dancemmm..."

It's hard to talk and kiss at the same time.

"Yes," Quinn answered as soon as she had given Rachel her lips back, "I'd love to."

Rachel smiled then but down on her lip, "I'll pick you up at our room at say? Eight-thirty?"

"Perfect," Quinn checked her phone again, "two minutes."

"Can we have thirty seconds of that?" Rachel asked quickly and ready to pounce.

Quinn merely nodded and Rachel was on her.

Slow was no longer an accurate description of how things were going... sort of.

* * *

**A/N: I know. I know it's been forever. I also know that I made a liar of myself. I'm sorry. Other than writer's block, I have no excuse. It's something about this time of year that just messes up my brain. I'm working on it. You can thank my Stage Mom for helping me out of this rut. I'd give you her penname to do just that, but I'm pretty sure she'd stop talking to me if I did. Instead, go ahead and tell me how much you hate me and how awful I am. It's cool. I accept my fate.**


	16. Weird

Something was weird. Quinn just felt it. It wasn't like the looming doom she felt before; that feeling was gone. It was more like it was weird to be getting ready for a first date while your date is simultaneously getting ready in the same room.

It was a little too weird.

"Um... what kind of place are we going to?" Quinn asked awkwardly as she stood in front of her closet.

"You can wear whatever you want. It isn't super fancy, but it's not like, a chain restaurant either," Rachel answered looking back from her closet.

"Okay," Quinn said looking back into her closet. She contemplated for a moment, then grabbed a couple things. "Close your eyes?" she looked back over to Rachel's side.

"What?"

"Please?" she asked as she held her pieces of clothing in the closet so Rachel couldn't see.

"Fine," Rachel rolled her eyes then closed them.

As quick as she could, Quinn made her way to the door with her things and once she was on the other side yelled, "You can open them."

She couldn't see, but she was sure Rachel was sporting her disappointed face on the other side of the door.

For some reason she didn't think twice about just busting through Brittany and Santana's door. It actually wasn't until she caught a glimpse of the bed that she got worried. The empty bed that actually made her more nervous.

"Sup, Bitch Face?"

"Oh thank god!" Quinn sighed when she saw Santana standing fully clothed on the left side of the room, "Can I get ready in here?"

"Feel too weird getting ready for your date in front of your date?" Santana hit the nail on the head and drove it right through in one smash. Quinn nodded. "Yeah, no problem."

"Thanks," Quinn replied and walked over to the makeshift double bed to lay her options out. She stood back and contemplated.

"Yellow," Brittany came up from behind her and placed her chin on Quinn's shoulder.

"Where did you come from?" Quinn laughed.

"The deck. I was watering our flowers."

"At night?" Quinn dumbly questioned Brittany's logic.

"Duh," Brittany picked her head back up, "so they get more water before it goes back into the clouds."

That actually made sense.

"Definitely the yellow, Q," Santana joined her girlfriend and her best friend.

"You sure?" Quinn asked holding the yellow one up to herself and turning back to Brittany and Santana.

"Yeah, definitely. It makes your eyes look cool," Santana kind of smiled, "Actually, pretty much anything makes your eyes look cool. Even your grungy pink hair did. Oh, I bet Rachel would love to hear about that!"

"Santana," Brittany scolded.

"Whatever, all she has to do is go on your Facebook," Santana smirked.

"I hate you," Quinn turned around and put the dress back on the bed.

"Lies and propaganda, Quinn. You love me," Santana smirked, yet again.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't let it go to your head," Quinn said then yanked her t-shirt over her head.

"Dayum! Your sexual frustration's been working for you," Santana gawked a little as Brittany actually walked up to her and poked at her stomach.

"I can only do so much," Quinn mumbled, then snatched up her dress to cover herself back up. Once it was on, she shimmied out of her shorts, then checked herself out in the full length mirror on the door. She smiled thinking about how much she actually loved wearing dresses. Too bad her job required her to wear clothes that she didn't want to get ruined. You seriously never know with theatre.

"Here," Santana was holding out something blue and knit, "you shouldn't show _too_ much on your first date."

"Thanks, but it's summer..." Quinn trailed off as she laughed lightly.

"It's light and the sleeves are three quarter. It'll look cute," Santana rolled her eyes and pushed the cardigan onto Quinn's shoulder, "See it looks good with the yellow."

Quinn took the _sweater_ from Santana and reluctantly put it on. She was right. It was light and it looked good with the yellow.

"You aren't wearing ugly underwear, right?"

"What the fuck, Santana? You were just being so awesome and now you're beyond ridiculous," Quinn scoffed and turned back to the bed.

"I'm just looking out for you, Q," Santana shrugged.

"Yeah, well, I'm going to be the only person seeing my underwear tonight so stop looking out for me," Quinn huffed as she slipped on her yellow and white flats that matched her dress perfectly.

"You sure? You two were really going at it earlier-"

"Santana!"

"Yes, I'm sure... not yet..."

"Quinn, you don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"Umm... thanks, Britt, I know," Quinn smiled, "But I want to... do that, just... not yet."

"Well duh! That's what I meant," Brittany tapped her forehead and rolled her eyes.

"So, what do you think?" she dared to ask for her best friends' opinions.

"Hmm..." Santana hummed and tapped her chin with her forefinger, then pointed it when she had an idea. She turned and walked over to her bureau, then came back and tossed something at Quinn.

"Chapstick?" Quinn quirked up her eyebrow. Seriously? Could Santana get any gayer?

"Umm... okay, Rachel really doesn't seem like the type that likes lip gloss all over her face. That stuff is just slippery enough but isn't sticky and it still gives you the glossy look," Santana sounded frustrated...

"Oh, thanks," Quinn smiled apologetically. She really was looking out for her. Weird.

"It's 8:28," Santana informed Quinn as she was applying the lip balm in the mirror on the door. Quinn sighed and gave her a nervous smile, "Oh do not tell me that you're nervous. You already know how you feel about each other. This is just like, a formality."

"Yeah, she already likes you a lot. And you never would have been late from break if you didn't like her a lot," Brittany just had to remind her.

So, thirty seconds might have turned into a minute and thirty seconds... that _had _to be the last time.

"That's why I'm nervous," Quinn said quietly and turned back to the mirror.

"You'll be fine," Brittany wrapped her arm around Quinn's shoulder and squeezed her.

"Now go! You're late," Santana opened the door, forcing Quinn to back up. She gestured towards the hallway, but Quinn didn't budge. Santana let out a throaty sigh and rolled her eyes before literally pushing Quinn out the door.

Quinn took the five steps to her own door and lifted her hand to knock on it, then took it back. She looked down to the skirt of her dress and brushed it down with her palms as she took a deep, steadying breath. She looked back up just in time to watch the door swing open.

"I told you I'd pick you up," Rachel smiled and then looked down at the rest of Quinn, "Wow. You are so good at surprising me."

"What?" Quinn hadn't even realized Rachel was speaking. As soon as Rachel was in sight Quinn was lost. She was wearing a loose fitting, purple blouse that scooped down just low enough to show the top of her cleavage, dark skinny jeans and wait for it... black, platform Louboutins. Yeah, Rachel had Loubuotins. Quinn didn't even have to see the bottoms to know.

"You're gorgeous," Rachel sighed looking Quinn up and down again with a smile, "I feel kind of underdressed now."

"No!" Quinn said a little louder than she would have liked, "you look... great." That was _not_ the word she was thinking.

"Thank you-"

"Hot... that's the word I was thinking," Quinn corrected herself, "_and _beautiful... and hot... and I'm going to stop embarrassing myself."

"I don't get that very often..." Rachel tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and looked down to the floor.

Quinn's eyes practically fell out of her face they were open so wide, "Please tell me you're kidding."

Rachel shook her head and smiled somewhat awkwardly, then looked back down to the floor.

"Well," Quinn took a step forward and lifted Rachel's chin with her forefinger, "you are definitely both of those things."

"Thank you," she breathed out shyly, "Um... we should probably get going."

New Challenge: Make Rachel believe she's beautiful... and hot.

"I'm assuming you want to drive," Quinn smirked, noticing her keys in Rachel's hand for the first time.

"I'm taking you on this date, remember?" Rachel said quietly, but regaining her usual confidence that Quinn found quite attractive.

"Of course I remember, I'm getting a free meal out of this," Quinn joked.

"At least I know you won't ditch me until _after_ dinner," Rachel said in an obvious joking tone, but Quinn still felt nicked by the knife.

"Umm... let's go..." Quinn said slowly, turning for the stairs.

"I'm sorry," Rachel jumped and grabbed Quinn's wrist, "I didn't mean it... I didn't mean for it to be..."

"I know," Quinn smiled, she was over it already, "It's okay, let's go."

"Okay," Rachel smiled back and followed Quinn's lead down the stairs.

Just as Quinn's hand hit the door, she heard the fridge close and then, "Owow! Where are you two going?"

"Hi, Sugar," Quinn said before she turned around, "... and everyone else." She smiled awkwardly at Tina, Mercedes, Abby, Suzie and Danielle, then she tried to give Rachel the most subtle 'I don't know what to do' look.

"It looks like you guys are sneaking out," Danielle laughed and then tossed some popcorn into her mouth.

"Yeah, like you're going on a date and you don't want anyone to catch you," Tina laughed even harder than she already was.

'_What?'_

Now Quinn and Rachel were exchanging some not-so-subtle 'I don't know what to do' looks. Until Rachel popped up both of her eyebrows and gave a subdued shrug with her left shoulder.

They were going to find out anyways...

Quinn nodded and sighed, waiting what was to come next.

"We are," Rachel exhaled and grabbed Quinn's hand, tightly.

"Wait, what?"

"Seriously?"

"Finally!" Sugar was the only one Quinn could decipher in the chaos that ensued after the announcement.

"What?" Quinn asked and squeezed Rachel's hand just a little tighter.

"Nothing," Mercedes verbally jumped over Sugar, "Have fun, we don't want to keep you."

"Umm... thanks?" Rachel said hesitantly as Quinn lightly pulled on her hand for them to leave. Despite everyone being just fine with everything, something still felt weird and she needed out of the house.

A resounding "Bye!" was all they heard as they walked out the door.

"That was weird," Quinn huffed as she rounded her car to the passenger seat. Rachel didn't say anything, she just opened the driver's door and got in. "That was also weird," Quinn thought out loud in response to Rachel not having something to say.

"Can I say something?" Rachel asked as soon as Quinn was settled in the passenger seat with her seatbelt on.

"Always," Quinn answered, suddenly worried that something was wrong.

"I know that _all_ of this is kind of weird. Of course I do; I'm in this, too. And I know that you're trying to make things more normal, but this is what we've got," she shrugged and then turned her body, "It's a coincidence, a really... for lack of a better term... shitty one, but that's all our living situation is: a coincidence. I'm positive that if we weren't rooming together, I'd still have these feelings for you. You'd still be the same person."

She was so right. Really, it was all a coincidence. What if Quinn had met Rachel in a completely different setting? When she met the _real_ Rachel and not Audition Rachel, her feelings were immediate. She never would have thought twice... okay, maybe twice, but definitely not the hundreds of times she had before this moment.

"You're right," Quinn exhaled, then caught sight of Rachel's forearm draped over the center console. Instinctually, she took Rachel's hand and then looked back up to her eyes, "That's exactly what this is and I need to do a better job dealing with it because it's what we've got... and I might like you a lot... and you're like, a really good kisser..." she rolled her eyes and then looked down to their hands, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Rachel ducked her head down, "You're just trying to do what you think is best. I would just like _some_ say."

Once again following her instincts, Quinn picked up Rachel's hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles. Rachel giggled silently and took her hand back to start the car. When the car was started and in gear, she placed her forearm back onto the center console. Quinn laced her fingers back into Rachel's.

"Was that a 'yes?'" Rachel asked as she rolled up to the stop sign at the end of their street.

"Yes," Quinn chuckled and picked up Rachel's hand to kiss it again.

Rachel nodded then ventured the car out onto the main road. They remained fairly quiet for the duration of the car ride. Quinn was saving all of her questions for dinner. She didn't have all that many to start out with, she was much better at coming up with questions as a conversation went on. After about fifteen minutes, they pulled into the parking lot of a plaza with several store fronts. Right smack in the middle was a Mexican restaurant and the only restaurant in the plaza.

"Did I tell you that Mexican is my favorite? I don't remember doing such a thing?" Quinn asked in slight awe over the mythical powers that, at this point, Rachel seemed to have.

"Just a really great guess," Rachel smiled and shrugged with one of her shoulders.

"Well, it is and you're the most awesome-" Quinn interrupted herself. She was so close to saying 'girlfriend,' like the 'g' was still hanging in her throat, she was so close. But that's not what they were.

Perhaps that should be one of the questions lined up for the evening...

"Well, Kurt and Blaine told me about this place. Apparently they have great three dollar margaritas," Rachel hadn't seemed to have noticed Quinn's... hiccup.

"I can't wait," Quinn smiled, masking as much of her mortification as possible.

"Well, wait there for a second," Rachel said quickly and popped out of the car. She walked around the front of the car and opened the passenger door. Then, she stepped over and held out her hand for Quinn.

"Who says chivalry is dead?" Quinn laughed as she stepped out of the car.

"Lazy people," Rachel gave her pouty smirk then motioned for Quinn to lead the way to the restaurant.

Refusing to be outdone, Quinn opened the door and held it open for Rachel to pass through. Just because Rachel was literally wearing the pants did not mean she got to always act like it.

"Thank you," she whispered, then made her way to the host, "Berry. I'm sorry we're late."

"Ah, Señorita Berry. Gracias. Right this way, por favor," the host said with his mixed Spanish and English and Mexican accent. He led them to a fairly secluded booth next to a window. The booth wasn't secluded in that there weren't any tables around it, there just weren't very many people in the restaurant.

"I'm already in love with this place," Quinn said as she looked around at the masks on the walls and the statues placed everywhere.

"I'm glad," Rachel smiled and rested her chin in her palm, "Oh and order whatever you want. Please... except for something made from a pig because then I can't have any."

"Because your Jewish... that's why you wouldn't try my sandwich," Quinn's fingertips met with her forehead when the revelation hit her, "I've never dated anyone who's Jewish before... not that it... matters..."

'_Nice.'_

"Hey, neither have I," Rachel simultaneously shrugged, shook her head and chuckled.

"¿Agua?" their waiter appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"Yes please," Rachel answered with her perfect smile, then looked at Quinn "Do you want anything else?"

"Water's fine," Quinn answered Rachel, then smiled at the waiter.

"Uhh... would you ladies... like to order?" he asked once he was done with the water.

"I looked at the menu online, so I know, but you haven't really gotten a chance," Rachel looked at Quinn a nervously.

"Order, I'll figure something out by then," Quinn smiled and opened up the menu. She knew what she wanted, she just wanted to know what her options were.

"I would like the black bean enchiladas, please."

"¿Y tú, Señorita?" he looked to Quinn.

"I'm going to have the chicken fajitas, please. With everything they're supposed to come with."

"Gracias. I will be back with some tortillas y salsa."

"Thank you," Rachel smiled as the waiter turned to leave.

"De nada."

"Let's play a game," she turned back to Quinn as soon as the waiter was gone.

"A game?" Quinn questioned, wondering where Rachel could possibly be going with this.

"Okay, so, every time I'm in the same room as you, I just have this... urge to play Twenty Questions with you, because I just want to know... everything," Rachel scooted forward in her seat so she was on the edge of it.

"So, you want to play Twenty Questions?"

"But without a limit to the number of questions we can ask," Rachel squinted one of her as she relayed her stipulation.

"So you want to play Infinity Questions?" Quinn laughed, thinking about how cute Rachel was at that moment... and every other moment for that matter.

"Exactly."

"You go first," Quinn offered up the first question, despite being a little nervous about what Rachel was going to ask.

Rachel's bottom lip found its way under her top teeth, then she exhaled, "What made you change your mind? I mean like, from before we kissed, since you've had feelings for me since before then."

Quinn absolutely knew the moment when things really started to shift towards things with Rachel actually being a possibility, "It was something that Charlie said to me a few weeks ago. He said that I 'deserve good things.'" She left it there. If they were playing by the rules, Rachel couldn't ask a follow up question just yet either. She looked satisfied with Quinn's answer though as she smiled, probably over being one of those 'good things.'

Quinn's turn:

"Who is that woman and the little girl in that picture on you bureau?" she'd wanted to ask that for weeks.

"That's my birth mom and her adopted daughter... so my not blood related half sister?" Rachel twisted her lips a little contemplating what she'd just said.

"That makes so much sense. You look so much like her," Quinn said in somewhat awe as she wondered how she hadn't seen it before.

"Okay, umm..."

"Have a lot of questions?" Quinn asked through a tiny laugh.

"Yes," Rachel nodded and then shifted her body a little, "Okay, when did you figure out that you like girls?"

"Ooo hitting with the big questions," Quinn smiled, "High school was a confusing time."

"I think it is for everyone," Rachel said softly.

"Well, I was doing a history project with this girl, Jackie, during my junior year. We were working on it in her room and at one point we were both on the floor leaning over the board. We both looked up at the same time and she just... kissed me. No warning, just outright, laid it on me. I got so mad. I screamed at her and ran out of her house. When I got home I locked myself in my room and cried for hours," even after nearly five years it still stung a little.

"You liked her," Rachel said sadly with her chin in her palms.

"I didn't realize it until she kissed me and I felt all these... things, but yeah. I mean, I was totally cool with hanging out with her and I could ignore the weird feelings I'd get when she'd get a little too close, but the kiss just made it too real," Quinn could remember the fear she felt. Even though her two best friends were gay... ish, it was too much for her. At the time at least.

"Well, clearly you got over that," Rachel was asking a question in the form of a statement.

"That's another question," Quinn held up her finger.

"Fine. Go ahead," Rachel said just as the waiter returned with their meals. They hadn't even realized the chips and salsa were on the table.

"Black bean enchilada y fajitas."

"Thank you," Quinn said for both of them.

"De nada."

"Okay, same question," Quinn said as soon as the waiter was gone.

"I think that's against the rules," Rachel gave Quinn her pouty/smirk.

"I was going to ask you eventually..."

"My first year at NYCDA," Rachel rolled her eyes, "It was pretty much as soon as I was single and in this new world. My second half of high school I had a boyfriend. The only things I loved more than him were my dreams and my dads, everyone and everything else were kind of just... there." She gave a half smile, then took a bite of her food. Once it was down she started again, "There was this lesbian couple. I've always known what 'gay' meant, of course, but I'd never seen two girls before. I saw them cuddling and kissing one day in the coffee shop all of the NYCDA kids went to. It was like, I didn't know I wanted it until I knew it existed."

"That makes sense," Quinn smiled and let her eyes linger on Rachel for a bit. How could she not know how beautiful she was?

"We should probably eat," Rachel laughed lightly and turned her eyes to her plate.

From there the questions got a lot lighter. They were more like 'what's your favorite color?' Or 'whats the best gift you've ever gotten?' Things that Quinn was surprised they didn't cover on their lunch date so many weeks ago.

By the time they were done with dinner they'd covered a lot of ground with the questions and Rachel had eaten one of Quinn's fajitas and Quinn had eaten a decent amount of Rachel's enchiladas.

After finishing some fried ice cream that Rachel said she needed to run 20 miles to get rid of, Rachel paid the bill with cash and they walked to the car. They'd stopped playing Infinity Questions a while back, having turned it into an actual conversation that continued all the way to the car and to the house. Again they held hands the entire drive, an action Quinn felt she could definitely get used to.

Rachel pulled into the driveway, put the car in park, but didn't turn the car off. Quinn didn't mind because she got to hold Rachel's hand for a little bit longer. Although, now that the rest of the house knew, they could walk all the way into the house holding hands...

"It's my turn," Rachel said over the very low radio that Quinn had forgotten was on until it got quiet.

"Ask away," Quinn responded rather airily.

Rachel bit down nervously on her bottom lip. It immediately made Quinn worried that she was going to hit her with another heavy question. She watched Rachel take a couple deep breaths and then opened her mouth, "Can I tell my Dads that I have a girlfriend?"

_'Dammit!'_

That was going to be _her_ next question! She never should have let Rachel go first in Infinity Questions!

"I mean you, of course," Rachel said nervously.

Quinn laughed at how adorable Rachel never failed to be, then curled her lip between her teeth. Still a little upset that she was beaten to the punch, she sighed and answered, "You can tell _everyone _that I'm your girlfriend."

"Really?" Rachel asked with surprise all over her face.

"Well," Quinn took a breath, looked at the clock, then back at Rachel, "I was going to ask you..."

"I'm glad we're on the same page," Rachel said slowly and softly as she leaned a little more onto her elbow towards the middle.

"We seem to be getting better at that," Quinn said in an accidental sultry tone. It was like Rachel's proximity dragged it right out of her.

"We should go inside," Rachel said softly, mere inches from Quinn's lips, because this whole time they'd just been leaning closer and closer to each other. The implications made Quinn inhale sharply. Not yet. "You have a long day tomorrow and should probably get some rest," Rachel smiled, then snuck a kiss onto Quinn's parted and worried lips.

"Yeah. Of course..." Quinn shook off her anguish and smiled, then silently begged that Rachel wouldn't say anything about her obvious gutter brain.

Rachel just laughed and turned the car off. Quinn let out the breath she'd been accidentally holding and opened the door to get out of the car. As cute as it was the first time, she liked opening her own door.

"Are you nervous for tomorrow?" Rachel asked as she rounded the car to join Quinn on the walk back into the house.

"Only a little," Quinn answered then laced her fingers in between Rachel's, "There's a lot to do in a very short amount of time."

"Yeah," Rachel looked over to Quinn as they walked up the stairs, "Next week-"

"Might actually be hell?" Quinn finished the sentence for her, voicing the worry she'd had since she figured out the absurd schedule that had to be, "Not for you... or any of the actors. I'm going to work my ass off for you so that it isn't."

"Well don't like, kill yourself. We'll be okay," Rachel paused in front of the door.

"Rach, it's my job," Quinn wrapped her hand around the doorknob and pushed, "this is when I really shine."

"You always shine," Rachel said quietly as she closed the door behind them, "That was really cheesy... I should really filter myself a little more..."

"Please don't," Quinn grabbed Rachel's hand and laced her fingers between hers again, "That's one of the things I like most about you."

God, that was terrifying to say, but completely worth it. The smile on Rachel's face was so beautiful. She always closed her eyes and lowered her head to hide her blushing cheeks. Quinn wished she wouldn't do it because then she couldn't see her beautiful smile.

"I wish you wouldn't do that either," she said softly as she lifted Rachel's chin with her free hand, "Your smile's so beautiful." Rachel's cheeks lit up again and Quinn could tell that she was fighting the urge to lower her head. She actually looked nervous. Quinn could probably count on one hand how many times she'd seen Rachel look nervous. And Rachel wasn't talking. Right now, Quinn wanted nothing more than to know what Rachel was thinking. Maybe a kiss would drag it out... probably not but suddenly that was the one thing she wanted more. She took a step forward and lifted Rachel's chin a little higher, pressing her lips softly to Rachel's. She felt Rachel inhale sharply, hold it for a moment, then slowly let it out through her nose. It hit Quinn's skin and gave her a chill. A good chill. One she wouldn't mind feeling again. Their lips parted and Quinn rubbed her nose gently against Rachel's before pulling away.

"You really think I'm beautiful?" Rachel asked nearly inaudibly.

"Absolutely," Quinn answered definitively.

"And not like, unconventionally beautiful," Rachel rolled her eyes at something she'd _clearly _heard before.

"I don't think I even understand what that means," Quinn quirked up her eyebrow, "Rachel I think you are _beautiful. _ Everywhere I look and everything I find."

"You are too charming for your own good, Quinn Fabray," Rachel blushed but kept her head up.

"I'm also really sleepy and when that happens, my filter glitches and all the things that I normally think are way too scary to say, come right out," Quinn confessed with her own blush.

"Maybe sleepy Quinn will rub off on awake Quinn," Rachel swung their hands between them and twisted the platform of her shoe into the carpet.

"Awake Quinn is working on it," she huffed a little.

"Sleepy Quinn should go to bed," Rachel smiled and Quinn melted, "I'll be up in a second."

"Too weird to get ready for bed at the same time as your date?" Quinn joked and squeezed Rachel's hand.

"Yes, but no," Rachel laughed, "I want to... um... call my Dads..."

"Oh my god, you are so adorable I can't even deal with it," she said quickly and just kissed Rachel. She caught herself off guard by it because she just did it. No thinking, just doing. Maybe Awake Quinn _should_ follow Sleepy Quinn's lead.

"Good night, Sleepy Quinn," Rachel laughed as Quinn started backing away towards the stairs.

"Goodnight, Beautiful Rachel," she was determined to make Rachel believe it. She let her eyes linger as she stood at the bottom of the stairs. Rachel rolled her eyes and shooed Quinn with her hands. Quinn mouthed, "Fine," and slowly made her way up the stairs, keeping her eyes on adorable, annoyed Rachel for as long as she could.

She sighed as soon she entered her room as she noticed for the first time that it smelled like Rachel. It got lost once she ventured into her own side, but the other half was completely doused in Rachel. She found herself changing nearly on Rachel's side just trying to really soak it in. Eventually, she dragged herself out of it to go brush her teeth, but she was stopped by voices coming from downstairs.

"She's sweet and funny and she works so hard," she heard Rachel's voice carry up the stairs.

"She sounds wonderful babygirl," a deep voice came through the phone's speaker.

"As long as you aren't getting too distracted," another man's voice came through.

"Hiram," the deeper voice scolded and Quinn held in a laugh thinking about how it sounded just like Santana and Brittany, "This is Rachel Barbara Berry we're talking to. The epitome of determination."

"Thanks, Daddy," Quinn could hear her smile.

"As long as you're happy babygirl, that's what we care about," the deeper voice said.

"I am. Quinn's... Quinn is..." Rachel just sighed.

"Excellent adjective, honey" the man the deeper voiced man called Hiram said, "And we'll just have to see for ourselves when we come up in a few weeks."

"Right! I have to get you tickets..."

_'Holy. Fucking. Shit.'_

Who knows what else happened in that conversation because Quinn was definitely no longer paying attention. She was far too busy stressing out about something she wasn't even supposed to know about.

* * *

**A/N: Hello everyone! Today, is my birthday (yup, I'm shamelessly informing you all). So, in its honor, I have this little update. Actually, I was ready to post anyways, it's just a coincidence that it's my birthday. Well, I hope you enjoyed the date! As you should know by now, I love hearing from you all.**


	17. Fireworks

She knew it was wrong, but Quinn "fell asleep" before Rachel came upstairs. There was a way to address what she'd heard, she knew there was, but she couldn't do it that night. She also didn't think that she could talk to Rachel without acting like a weirdo. The whole scenario played out in Quinn's head: she would start acting weird, Rachel would call her out, then Quinn would get all nervous and start spewing out her ridiculous worries.

That just wasn't the proper way to handle things with Rachel because she had a tendency to argue with kisses... that always won. Not that they'd ever really argued or that this was something Quinn thought they might argue about. It's just...

What the hell happened to slow?

Extreme baby steps slow?

Suddenly they were moving at stereotypical lesbian speed! To an extent they were already doomed with their living situation, but that was unavoidable. But parent meeting? This felt like light speed.

As Rachel moved about the room and Quinn "slept" that night, all of those thoughts raced through Quinn's mind. They stopped though when she felt a pair of lips leave a "goodnight" kiss on her cheek.

It took everything in her to keep the corners of her lips from lifting into a smile. How could something so tiny be so beautiful? Rachel had no idea that Quinn wasn't asleep, that's what it was. It made her feel even worse about pretending.

"G'night," she mumbled as she told herself to keep this interaction short. She _was_ extremely sleepy...

"You're awake," Rachel sounded surprised. She probably looked surprised, too but Quinn never opened her eyes to try to see it in the dark.

"Barely," Quinn mumbled again.

"I won't keep you up," Quinn could hear a smile in Rachel's tone, "But... um..." Quinn heard some rustling then felt Rachel's presence near her. She opened her eyes and there she was. Rachel's hand met Quinn's cheek and her thumb traced over her bottom lip, then her lips replaced her thumb. "Night, Girlfriend," she chuckled lightly when she took her lips back.

"Night, Girlfriend," Quinn repeated through a similar chuckle.

"Wake me up when you're leaving?" Rachel asked as she got into her bed.

"You sure?" Quinn asked fighting to keep her eyes open for just a little bit longer.

"Positive."

"Okaaaay," Quinn singsonged as her eyelids fell heavily.

"Go to sleep, Fearless Leader," Rachel laughed softly.

That was the last thing she remembered. She might have said something else, but she seriously couldn't remember.

She almost didn't remember to wake Rachel up when she was leaving for tech. Well, actually, she didn't want to wake her up. She was way too peaceful and while she didn't think Rachel would be mad at her when she woke her up, she wanted her to get enough rest for when she had to be at tech. Then she realized Rachel might get upset with her if she didn't wake her up... so she woke her up. She was as adorable as ever with her messy hair and mumbly, sleepy speak. Rachel wished Quinn two broken legs and told her she'd send a quick prayer to Dionysus for her. It was the nerdiest of theatre nerd things she'd ever heard... until she one-upped her by saying she should address one to Bacchus as well, just in case that was what he was going by these days. It was so silly, but Rachel laughed her perfect, gorgeous laugh at it.

Quinn kissed Rachel goodbye and successfully left the house without acting weird. Honestly, she had bigger fish to fry at the moment. Worrying about something a few weeks in the future wasn't a good use of her time. Not when she had to run tech.

Life was not something she could think about...

Except that the whole drive to the theater she _only _thought about how Rachel was her girlfriend. It was as if it had _just _hit her.

Shit.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe they should have waited for the title until after tech, when they'd have time for each other.

Except, what difference would it have made? Rachel still would have been persistent and Quinn still would have succumbed to her wooing powers.

She'd finally realized that it was inevitable. It only took 5 weeks, but she figured it out.

Rachel was her girlfriend. Her beautiful, adorable, hot, talented, girlfriend.

She relished in the moment for a little as she looked out her windshield at the theater in front of her. She had a few minutes before she had to go inside, so she pulled out her phone and swiped her way to a picture that Rachel had taken of them one afternoon. They were cuddling on Quinn's bed as per usual and Rachel had snuck her hand into Quinn's pocket, successfully stealing her phone. She went straight to the camera, flipped it and snapped a picture of them both. Rachel looked perfect. She had her usual gorgeous smile on and she was looking directly at the little lens with her big, beautiful brown eyes. Quinn wasn't ready at all. She was still getting over the fact that Rachel's hand had been in her pocket, so her cheeks were red as she looked at Rachel with surprise all over her face. At the same time, she could see complete adoration in her own eyes. She knew it was there because she remembered the moment and as she looked at Rachel's face now, she felt the same way. She swiped to the next photo. She was ready in this one. They were both smiling with their cheeks pressed together in an effort to fit into the narrow screen. And then there was the third and final photo of that afternoon. Rachel had begged for "just one more." Despite the first two killing her, she agreed to the third. It was supposed to be a silly face picture. That was the second request. As Rachel prepped her silly fishy face and her thumb over the photo snapping, camera button, Quinn got an idea. The second before Rachel's thumb tapped the button, Quinn turned her head and planted a kiss on Rachel's cheek. The picture captured Quinn's lips on Rachel's cheek and Rachel's pink-cheeked, wide-eyed, slacked-jawed, look of surprise. That one was Quinn's favorite. So much so, she made it her lock screen wallpaper.

That was her last moment of _really_ thinking about her and Rachel for two days.

Her brain was filled with everything _As You Like It_ and _The Wedding Singer_ the entire weekend. Even when she was with Rachel, she was thinking about the shows.

For the most part, tech weekend ran smoothly, but it was still a lot of work. Thank god for Charlie and Sugar... yeah, Sugar. She was like an encyclopedia of... everything. Charlie was Zen Master 3000. When the run crew was being useless and Quinn actually started to stress about it, he sent Sugar off to Aspergers them into submission while he totally chilled Quinn out.

From there on, the weekend turned into a blur. Everything just went. The lights were prefocussed and programmed the night before. The major thing Saturday morning was entering the cues into the prompt scripts. That took three hours. Three hours just for things to wind up being adjusted once the actors were onstage doing the cue to cues. Yes, that was pluralized. They were doing two shows.

By 10:30 Saturday night, _As You Like It_ was ready for dress Monday morning and by 9:45 Sunday night, _The Wedding Singer_ was ready for dress rehearsal Monday afternoon.

Quinn finished her rehearsal reports and immediately fell asleep both nights. Each rehearsal report took her 45 minutes to complete because she needed to document everything that happened along with everything that _needed_ to happen. Rachel waited for her both nights to finish and as soon as her lap top was closed and under her bed, Rachel was in bed with Quinn with her arms around her. They didn't really speak beyond Rachel telling Quinn how amazing she thought she was and 'good nights,' but it was okay. They'd have time for talking once hell was over.

Then Monday showed up.

Monday was also the Fourth of July. Quinn didn't make the connection of the date and the day until Jean said it in her "First Dress Rehearsal Speech" before _As You Like It_ dress.

"Quinn, Rachel wants to know if you want to go the fireworks at the lake," Charlie asked over the head set just before Quinn was about to call ten minutes to "Go."

"One: Tell her yes and two: that's the last non-related relayed message for anyone," Quinn answered both agitated that Rachel abused Charlie's head set connection to her and excited to for a second date.

"Hey, Quinn," a familiar voice entered the booth.

"Hi, Jean! Uh... one second," she pressed down both the A and B buttons on the head set's receiver and spoke, "Ten minutes until 'Go,' ladies and gentlemen, ten minutes." She repressed the two buttons, turned to her boss and smiled, "Hi."

"You are absolutely wonderful," Jean gushed, shaking her head a little causing her white pony tail to bounce behind her head.

"Thank you," Quinn replied humbly.

"And don't worry. I'm not even remotely angry that you're dating one of the actors," she smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

"Uhh..." Quinn's mouth hung open in shock over what had just happened. Of all the things she was prepared for today, this was not one of them.

"Oh, I'm not being passive aggressive or anything. I really mean it. It happens," she shrugged again, "I will say that I'm surprised that you and Rachel fell for each other. You're both so..."

"Driven?" Quinn finished Jean's sentence in a question. She was still a little unsure about the conversation that was currently taking place. She was also secretly hoping that the chatter in her right ear would address her and she could leave the conversation with her boss about her girlfriend.

"Exactly. Although, that's probably what draws you to each other. Well, I really just came up to thank you and wish you broken legs," Jean changed to her usual beyond positive tone and started to leave the booth. "Oh!" she stopped at the door and turned back just as Quinn was about to call the 5 minute warning, "You can see the fireworks from the house. I recommend the roof. That deck off of Brittany and Santana's room has perfect access to it." Jean gave Quinn a cheesy wink then started to leave the booth.

"Wait, we live like, two miles from the lake," Quinn stopped Jean from leaving the booth.

"You know that there are multiple lakes in the area, right? For example, there's another one about a quarter of a mile in the opposite direction," Jean chuckled lightly, leaning against the door frame.

"Oh," Quinn responded sheepishly, slightly embarrassed that she hadn't realized there was lake so much closer to the house.

"That's the one the fireworks come from," Jean nodded her head, clarifying for Quinn.

"You should probably let everyone else know that," Quinn said slowly, thinking that everyone else knew just about as much of the area as she did.

"Will do. Have an awful show, Quinn," Jean smiled and turned out of the booth.

Quinn laughed through her nose as she pressed the A and B buttons again. She was still laughing a little when she said over the head set, "Five minutes until 'Go,' five minutes and places. I repeat: Places."

Three minutes later her ASMs checked in, telling her that both sides were ready and in places. She "checked with the House staff," took a breath and zoned in on her cues.

"Light cue one: go, two: go. Sound cue one: go. Light cue three and Actors: go..."

~~{}~

"Okay, don't get mad," Rachel said as she dropped her bag at the foot of her bed and Quinn closed their door, "but Charlie let me listen to you call the cues a little during act two..."

"He can't do that..." Quinn rolled her eyes, then looked at Rachel who was smiling with her bottom lip between her teeth.

"You're so sexy," Rachel's voice dropped a little lower than it's usual tone and she stepped forward into Quinn's personal bubble.

"Well, I guess once is okay," Quinn's voice rose a little higher than usual as her heart pumped a little harder in her chest.

Rachel's arms rose to Quinn's shoulders as Quinn's hands pulled Rachel's hips into her.

"We should get to the lake," Rachel whispered into Quinn's lips, then backed away, silently giggling.

"About that," Quinn smiled, only slightly disappointed that she didn't get to kiss Rachel, "How do you feel about heights?"

"Ummm...?"

"Jean told me that you can see the fireworks from the roof," Quinn said apprehensively. She _really_ wanted to watch them from the roof, but only if Rachel was okay with it.

"Really?" Rachel asked excitedly.

"Yeah, we can get to it from the deck," Quinn pointed towards Brittany and Santana's room, "I might have already told them that they could borrow my car..."

"Without consulting me first?"

"I told them the condition," Quinn's eyes went a little wide in her response.

"Oh," Rachel jutted out her bottom lip and then quickly turned it into a smile, "They start at 10:30."

"I should be done with my rehearsal report in about twenty minutes. Want to give Santana my keys?" Quinn asked holding them out to her. As soon as Rachel snatched them up, Quinn was pulling her lap top out of her bag. She plopped down on her bed and pulled up the template. Thanks to Kurt being there and taking all of the costume notes, there weren't any to add. Just the same, Puck had been there to take most of the set notes. All that Quinn had to add were sound and light notes. They were mostly notes from the directors asking for little adjustments and some cue changes. The cue changes were mostly notes for Quinn, but she added them just for documentation purposes. She finished in fifteen minutes.

"You bite your tongue when you think," Rachel said quietly when Quinn closed her lap top, "It's cute."

"How long were you watching me?" Quinn asked feeling self-conscious about whatever else she did when she was thinking.

"Since I came back in the room," she exhaled and cocked her head to her right.

"You mouthed every single one of Rosalind's lines along with Holly as if no one could see you during that principle rehearsal that all of the understudies were called to," Quinn smiled, remembering it fondly even though at the time she wasn't so fond of her own actions.

"You could see me," Rachel shook her head and looked at the floor.

"Come on," Quinn got up from her bed and held out her hand for Rachel, "It's almost quarter past and we still have to get situated."

"Ooo, time to make out before they start," Rachel giggled and nuzzled her nose into Quinn's shoulder as they crossed the hallway.

Quinn laughed as she reached for Santana and Brittany's door knob. Their locked door knob, "Bitches."

"You know it was only Santana," Rachel scolded Quinn for including Brittany.

"Sorry, Britt," Quinn apologized.

Rachel giggled into Quinn's shoulder again, "That was so cute."

"I try," Quinn snarked as she led Rachel down the stairs.

"Ooo! Infinity Questions!" Rachel beamed when they hit the first floor, "you go first this time!"

This was her chance. An actual conversation about Rachel's dads visiting. Granted she'd have to let Rachel know she was eavesdropping, but she needed to bring it up.

"When are your dads coming?" she asked as they turned from the front stairs.

"You heard me talking to them Friday night?" Rachel asked and Quinn nodded, "Four weeks. I was going to tell you after opening night."

"I know you wouldn't have just surprised me with it or anything and I'm sorry I was listening, but you were just so cute talking to your dads," she started doing the nervous ranty thing she hated.

"Quinn, it's okay," Rachel stopped them at the bottom of the stairs to the deck, "I probably would have done the same thing."

"Good to know..." Quinn smiled and started walking up the stairs.

"They're going to love you," Rachel said softly from behind Quinn. The stairs weren't as wide as the ones in the front.

Love is a strong word. It gets used a lot, but it never loses its meaning when it counts. Quinn knew Rachel wasn't using it _that_ way, but just hearing it come out of her mouth even remotely in reference to her was a lot to take in. She couldn't tell if the feeling it gave her was terror or exhilaration... or are those two things one and the same?

"I hope so," Quinn mumbled in Rachel's direction as she reached the deck. She meant it. Of course she did, it wouldn't have made her so nervous if she hadn't.

There wasn't much light other than the moon, so it was difficult to see where the best place to start climbing was. It looked like they were going to have to stand on something to get onto the roof. How was that perfect access?

"Hey look," Rachel said, simultaneously waving and tapping at Quinn, "this section in front of the the chimney is only a few feet off the deck."

"Perfect access," Quinn quoted Jean.

Rachel had already started the climb before Quinn could tell her she'd help her up. Instead, Rachel held out her hand as she gripped the chimney to help Quinn. The roof wasn't very steep or long for that matter, so getting to the peak was pretty easy. They stopped a few feet from the top and sat down about a foot away from each other. They both looked down into the space between them, then up to each other. Rachel giggled and scooted over, bumping her hip into Quinn's.

"It's my turn," she said nudging her shoulder into Quinn's then putting her head on it.

Despite all of June's unbearably hot days, this July night was a breezy 65. They'd both thought enough to put pants and hoodies on, but that didn't stop Quinn from asking, "Are you cold?" and silently hoping Rachel would say yes so she could put her arm around her. Not that it would provide any extra warmth, but it was still a pleasant gesture that would make Quinn feel just a tiny bit more complete.

"A little," Rachel answered to Quinn's hushed delight and as Rachel snuggled tighter into Quinn now that her arm was around she asked, "What's something that happened to you a long time ago that was so embarrassing that you still think about it today?"

"What?" Quinn laughed from her midsection and saw Rachel bounce a little from it.

"Okay, like... umm," Rachel tapped her finger on Quinn's thigh as she thought, "When I was in the fourth grade we went on a field trip to the aquarium. I was looking at these little worm things with my teacher, Miss Roy, and I said, 'those are ugly little bastards, huh?'"

"Oh my god..."

"I didn't know," Rachel looked up, laughing, "I said it twice. Miss Roy just walked away and I didn't get in trouble. Well, that night I used my new word again at dinner and Daddy goes," Rachel lowered her voice a little, "'Babygirl, you can't say that word yet.' And I'm like, absolutely mortified because I knew what that sentence meant and oh my god, I said it to my teacher. And I'm still mortified by it."

"You are so fucking cute," Quinn let out precisely what she was thinking. She really was getting much better at that. Of course she was still embarrassed by something that her teacher probably wouldn't remember even if Rachel acted it out for her. It was incredibly endearing and Quinn hoped that Rachel could see that she felt that way. She must have seen it, she wouldn't have tried to hide her face in Quinn's shoulder. After nuzzling her nose into Quinn's collarbone, a gesture that gave Quinn that feeling in the pit of her stomach, Rachel looked back up and kissed Quinn. While Quinn didn't do it for a reward, she enjoyed being kissed after giving Rachel a compliment. It meant Rachel was listening to them and she believed her.

"What's yours?" Rachel asked softly and put her head back on Quinn's shoulder.

"I um..." she might not have been embarrassed about this at the time, but she sure was now and it was only a matter of time before Rachel Facebook stalked her way to it, "I had this um... breeaak doooowwn in the summer before my senior year. My parents being awful and the whole secretly liking girls thing... they were getting to me, I guess. I barely spoke to anyone, but I was never home. I spent a lot of time in this weird coffee shop a few towns away. There were all these kids there that I'd never associate myself with before. Like, mohawks and glory spikes and piercings pretty much everywhere-"

"Glory spikes?" Rachel asked, her enraptured expression turning into a puzzled one.

"Uh... they kind of look like cones," Quinn described the "hairstyle" the best she could.

"Oh! I didn't know what they were called," Rachel smiled and squeezed Quinn's knee for her to keep going.

Quinn looked at her watch, 10:24, then looked back to Rachel who was waiting patiently for the point of the story that Quinn had yet to get to, "The week before school started, I decided that I wasn't the same Quinn and I was going to show everyone." She sighed, looking away from Rachel and out towards where she suspected the closer lake was, "I dyed my hair pink, put a piercing in my nose and wore all these 'grungy' clothes."

"Why did you put air quotes around grungy?" Rachel asked with her nose scrunched up, completely adorable.

"Because I was a total fake," Quinn laughed, "The hair dye was only semi-permanent, the piercing was fake and the clothes were actually pretty expensive. I just wanted attention," she shrugged and gave a half smile.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Rachel said softly with a matching smile.

"It was dumb and it lasted a week and a half. I washed my hair a million times and cried about everything to Brittany and Santana," Quinn looked at her watch again, 10:29, "I should have done that to begin with."

"We don't always see the obvious," Rachel smirked then lowered her head back onto Quinn's shoulder and wrapped her arms around Quinn's waist.

It felt so good.

No matter what position they found themselves in, they always fit together perfectly. Quinn got lost in a world full of Rachel once she thought about it, because really, everything was perfect. Seriously, how could she have fought this? _Why_ had she fought this? If she'd just listened everyone, especially herself, she could have been experiencing this perfection much sooner.

"I love you."

The words mixed with the scream of a firework shooting up into the sky in front of them. The chemical reaction in the sky lit up Rachel's face for Quinn to see. She wasn't really sure what she was seeing. Her lack of planning left her completely unprepared for any scenario that could play out.

Rachel was just looking at her. Her mouth hung slightly open, her brow furrowed just a little and she was definitely holding her breath. She wasn't saying anything. Of all the times for Rachel to not have anything to say, this might be the worst possible time.

Every second of silence, save the fireworks going off approximately a quarter of a mile away, was excruciating.

Finally, she'd done something without mulling over it for days and currently, the outcome, or lack there of, was reminding her why she always thought things through.

"Rach-"

"Do you mean that?" Rachel's voice was shaky and in the light of the fireworks her eyes were excessively watery.

Perhaps that was a predictable response, especially after everything she'd already put Rachel through.

But it was true. She could feel it. Everywhere. The words left her mouth and she felt so... so... she didn't know what it was, but it was good... no, it was amazing.

"Yes," Quinn breathed out through a smile, "I love you."

Her heart was beating so hard, the sound of her pulse was drowning out the thunder of the fireworks.

"I..." Rachel's eyes darted around Quinn's face the same way they always would before she kissed her. This was different. Rachel looked overwrought as her eyes shifted. "I have to go," her voice squeaked in the middle of its whisper. She easily wriggled out from Quinn's arm and made her way down the slope of the roof to the deck.

Quinn just watched her. She just let her go. She just didn't know what to do. The waters of action without thought were completely uncharted. There was no plan, just shock and a fireworks finale.

* * *

**A/N: I think this is how things are going to be, fairly sporadic. I'm going to try to update once a week or something close to it. It's really the most realistic thing that I can promise. I know, I know, I make promises all the time. I should probably stop doing that. Anyways, I hope you don't hate me too much for the cliffhanger... except that if you are, that's okay, clearly I'm not changing it. And for those of you that have read anything I've ever written, you know how much I love a good cliffhanger. As if I'd make this fic any different. Let me know what you thought! I _love_ hearing from you all!**

**2: Thanks for the birthday wishes!**


	18. Good Luck

The fireworks ended and Quinn stayed alone on the roof staring blankly ahead at the cloud of smoke they'd left behind. A din of crickets filled her ears, a perfect compliment to the nothing that was going on in her head.

"Fuck!" she finally woke up from the stupor she'd been left in the moment Rachel left her on the roof. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she yelled to no one but herself. She buried her face into her knees and continued a muffled berating, "So fucking stupid! What the fuck is wrong with you?" She concluded by biting down on her knee and screaming into the fabric on her legs.

Good thing no one was home.

How could she have been so stupid? Her entire life, she never did anything that momentous without thinking about it first. The one time she blindly followed her instincts quickly became her new most embarrassing moment; one that she'd look back on and still be completely mortified by fifty years later. She was certain.

"Fuck," she mumbled the expletive much quieter this time, feeling tears moving into her throat.

She had to get off of the roof. The crickets and the smell of sulfur that had wafted the quarter mile to the cul-de-sac were giving her a headache. She eased her way down to the chimney and kept her hand on the cool brick as she eased herself down to slide off of the roof on her butt like Rachel had.

Rachel.

"Fuck," she whispered after her feet struck the deck. As she turned towards the stairs she exhaled heavily and shook her head. She just couldn't get over how absolutely idiotic she felt. Every step down only reminded her that it was another step closer to their shared room, back to Rachel or if she wasn't there, a place that made her think of her with every turn.

_**And the words that I could never say  
**__**Are gonna come out anyway.**_

"Oh shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" she muttered and hit her head with the heel of her palm with every command as she stepped down the stairs.

Just as her foot was about to hit the cement of the walkway, she froze with a thought that had silently creeped in between her berating. It was a mere word.

_Why?_

The not so simple question unleashed an army of more questions. The bombardment produced two questions that Quinn actually repeated to herself.

_Why would Rachel react that way?_

_Why would the one who'd been doing most of the instigating run away when the other instigated something else?_

Something was wrong and for once it actually wasn't her. Quinn had to find Rachel. ASAP.

Her hovering foot landed on the ground firmly, starting her off on her purposeful, yet uncertain walk back to the front of the house.

"Oh god," she said quietly to herself as soon as she rounded the house and saw multiple cars emptying in the driveway. All of the housemates were back from their quarter mile drive.

"Sup, Q?"

"Shit."

"Where's Midget?"

"She's um..."

'_Cut the shit Fabray! Do not cry!'_

"Let's go inside," Quinn's savior, Brittany grabbed both hers and Santana's arms and dragged them into the house while looking back at the rest of the housemates still chatting in the driveway.

"What the fuck did you do, Q? You've had a title for like, two days and shit's already screwed up," Santana conjectured as they walked from the door and ran up the stairs into Brittany and Santana's room.

"I-"

"That was seriously uncalled for," Brittany reprimanded Santana angrily, "What's wrong with you? Quinn is our best friend! Can you turn on the sensitivity I _know _you have for like, ten fucking minutes?"

"Yes ma'am," Santana gulped.

"I'm fucking serious!" Brittany's ears were turning red. Never a good sign.

"So am I," Santana whispered taking a half a step back.

"Good," Brittany said in a deep, angry tone, then as if that had never even happened, she turned to Quinn with soft, concerned eyes, "What happened?"

"I..." Quinn curled her lips between her teeth and looked back through Brittany and Santana's open door at her own closed. She didn't have time for this, "I can't right now."

"You can't what?" Brittany moved to catch Quinn's eye.

"I don't... I have to find her," Quinn felt a rush of pain in her throat, tears threatening to leak onto her face.

"Quinn, what happened?" Santana asked in a much different tone than her previous outburst.

"I... fuck!" Quinn whipped around and walked to her door. She braced herself for a moment, then pushed the door open.

Nothing.

Just a breeze filled with au de Rachel.

"Quinn?" Brittany's soft voice rang into her ears.

"I _need_ to find her," Quinn whispered for fear that if she spoke those tears might make their arrival.

"I'm sure she hasn't gotten far," Santana slowly approached the doorway.

"I have to fix this," she whispered and started head for the stairs.

She was stopped by a five foot eight blonde, "What. Happened?"

"I told her I love her and she walked away," Quinn whispered through gritted teeth, "I _need_ to find her. Now."

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Santana asked from her safe distance.

"Yes. I've put her through enough," Quinn tried to get around Brittany, "I have to follow through with this. I love her and she needs to know that I'm not messing with her."

"Try the boys' house," Brittany finally stepped out of the way, "Kurt and Blaine didn't go either."

"Neither did Puck and Sugar," Santana said in her gossip tone, garnering a look from Brittany.

"Thank you," Quinn gulped out and wasted no more time. She raced down the stairs and out the door, not caring that her housemates might question her actions. Her sneakers smacked against the pavement of the cul-de-sac, quieted again against the grass of the boys' front yard, then smacked against the walkway, followed by the stairs then the wooden porch. The next sound she heard were her knuckles pounding the door.

"Hey, Quinn."

"Finn," Quinn let the name roll out of her mouth without letting its sour taste appear in her expression.

"What's up?" he asked with his doofy smile.

"Hey, Quinn," Joe waved from behind Finn.

'_Great.'_

These were not the people she wanted to be talking to and she refused to ask Finn if Rachel was there, "Are umm... Blaine and Kurt here?"

"Uh... yeah..." Finn scratched his head as he turned a little, "Blaine!"

'_This is awful.'_

After about two minutes of no response Finn turned back around and shrugged, "I thought they were here."

"I'm sure they are," Quinn mumbled and started to turn away.

"But they didn't answer..."

How dumb could this fool be?

"Because they're busy, man," Joe walked up to Finn and patted his shoulder.

"And don't have what I'm looking for. Thanks. See you guys tomorrow," Quinn said turning around, fairly disheartened.

"But they didn't answer..."

"Bye Quinn, sorry about..." Joe pointed upstairs, "that."

Quinn was already on the walkway and backing towards her next option by the time Joe had closed the door.

On more than one occasion, Rachel had tried to convince Quinn that Noah "Puck" Puckerman wasn't a bad guy and that behind his womanizer front there was a sweet teddy bear. After about the fourth try Quinn finally asked Rachel how she knew this. As it turned out Rachel and Puck went back four years. Puck's school did all of the building and some crew work for Rachel's. They met during a showcase at NYCDA that Rachel's class had to work on. He asked her out a couple weeks later, but she respectfully declined... three times. She never really got into why she continuously said "no" to him _and_ every other guy that asked her out, but she did explain that from there she and Puck started on a friendship that generally involved going to the gym together and "talking out their own personal shit." That was what Puck called it. Eventually they were able to talk out their shit without the heavy equipment.

This was the exact reason why Quinn found herself knocking on the door of the Tech House, realizing only then that she should have gone there first.

"Uh...?" Quinn's confused brain thought and her mouth relayed the message when Sugar opened the door.

"Hi, Quinn," Sugar greeted her with a smile, "Looking for Rachel?"

"Sugar," she heard Puck's voice come through gritted teeth.

Sugar turned back towards the kitchen and whispered, "Sorry. Aspergers."

She shrugged and walked away, but before Quinn could step inside, Puck stepped in her way. "Porch," he said quietly and gestured outward. Quinn obliged much to her own discontent, walking towards the middle of the porch and turning around to see Puck close the door behind himself. "She didn't tell me what happened, but she was crying and that's all I need to know," Puck closed his fist into his palm and cracked his knuckles as he stepped towards Quinn.

"I didn't do anything-"

"And why don't I believe you?" he was actually grinding his fist into his palm. While Quinn didn't think he'd actually hit a girl, he was still pretty intimidating.

"Wrong!" she choked out, "I didn't do anything wrong. For once."

"Then why was she crying?" he'd eased up a little, but he was still clearly quite tense.

"I don't know," Quinn ground out through the tears she'd been doing so well to keep at bay, of course, until this moment. She took deep breaths and wiped at her eyes with the cuffs of her sweatshirt, hoping that Puck couldn't see her. The porch light was shining directly on her, however and her eyes were sure to be glistening with their excess water.

"She's upstairs," Puck's entire body relaxed and his expression softened with just those two words. He backed up and placed his hand on the door, "If you hurt her..."

"That's the furthest thing from my mind," Quinn tried her hardest to get her voice under control.

"You're still gonna get the 'I'll fuck up your shit' talk," he narrowed his eyes and pointed at her.

"I look forward to it," she said through a half smile and with complete honesty.

"I think I might actually like that answer," he said after he'd contemplated it and then opened the door for Quinn to go in, "She's in mine and Kurt's room to the right."

"Kurt's your roommate?"

"Yeah! Dude's awesome!"

Maybe Puck wasn't so bad...

"Hey, Quinn?" he called just as her foot hit the bottom step. She looked up, "Good luck."

"Thanks," she said meaning it in two ways. One: the obvious and two: for actually saying 'good luck.' That's what people say in the real world. 'Break a leg' doesn't mean anything in the real world.

This moment was 100% real world.

There was so much going through Quinn's head that she could barely remember walking up the stairs. She really only knew that she had because she _was_ upstairs. She turned right and stared at the door for at least five minutes. Actually, it was probably about thirty seconds, but time and space weren't necessarily Quinn's forte at that moment.

Seemingly at its own will, her arm lifted and her hand turned into a crooked fist with the middle knuckle of her forefinger lifted a little higher than the rest so as to create the least disturbing knock possible. It hit one of the hollow sections of the door three times in steady succession. Quinn leaned forward and listened for something on the other side of the door.

"Noah, I'm fine. I'll talk to you about it tomorrow," Rachel said through the door in a tone that anyone else would have thought _was_ fine. After memorizing everything that she ever did for the last five weeks, Quinn was the wiser.

She knocked again.

The door flew open as Rachel spat, "Seriously Noah-"

"Hi," Quinn said softly, without a smile, she was too busy memorizing how beautiful Rachel looked even though she'd clearly been crying for the better part of the last half hour.

"How did you know I was here?" her brow was furrowed and her arms were crossed over her chest, but her voice completely betrayed her front.

"Careful analysis of our previous conversations... and there are only three houses in the cul-de-sac," this time Quinn smiled.

"Did Noah tell you that I was up here?"

"After successfully intimidating me... and seeing me cry," she wasn't really sure why she admitted that second part.

Rachel bit her lip then stepped back into the bedroom that looked just like hers and Quinn's and motioned for Quinn to come in.

"Rachel I-"

"Why did you-"

They spoke at the same time and stopped, unsure of who should go first. Just as Quinn was about start, Rachel beat her to it, "Why did you say that?"

"Wh-" Quinn started to ask 'why did I say what?' but stopped herself. This wasn't the time for cutesy games. If she wanted Rachel to believe her, she needed to be serious, "Because I do."

"Did you even think about it?" Rachel asked, then worried her lip some more.

"I didn't," Quinn admitted with a smile, perhaps she shouldn't be ashamed of saying something that she knew was true, no matter how little thought went into it.

"But you don't do that!"

"I know!"

"You've spent all this time thinking everything through and then out of nowhere, without any thought at all, you just tell me that you love me?" Rachel's voice was starting to reach a somewhat squeaky, about to cry tone.

"Why is it making you so upset?" and with that question, a thought that Quinn hadn't let permeate through all of her other ones, was standing center stage in her brain.

_She doesn't love me back._

And even worse:

_She doesn't think she'll ever love me back._

"Because I've been trying to figure out a way to tell you that I love you without freaking you out since Friday," Rachel released a heavy puff of air from her throat once she was done with her quiet confession.

"Rach, I'm so sorry," Quinn took a step forward and gently lifted her hand to Rachel's cheek. She wiped a tear away with her thumb as Rachel nodded her head against Quinn's palm, "I'm sorry that I put you through that."

Catching Quinn completely off guard, Rachel snapped forward and wrapped her arms around Quinn's waist tightly. It took Quinn a second to realize what had just happened and to wrap her arms just as tightly around Rachel. "Let's go back to our room," Rachel suggested into Quinn's shoulder.

"Of course," Quinn answered with her eyes closed and her cheek pressed to Rachel's head. She opened her eyes and turned her head to kiss the spot her cheek had just been. Once again the words just came right out, "I love you."

This time, the results were so much better, "I love you, too."

She couldn't help it. Quinn put both of her hands on Rachel's cheeks and pulled her up, snatching up her lips with her own. It was another kiss that she could feel everywhere and if they were in their own room, she probably would have brought Rachel down onto one of the beds. Since she didn't want to touch Puck's bed and she didn't want to be rude to Kurt's, she broke the kiss and placed her forehead against Rachel's. "Come on," she whispered, grabbing hold of Rachel's hand and leading her out of the room.

They walked down the stairs still holding hands and continued on that way through the living room. They tried to sneak past Puck and Sugar who were shamelessly making out on the couch, but of course, Quinn the Graceful tripped on the throw rug, her foot catching her in a loud _thud_.

"Aaaah. Everything cool?" Puck had nonchalantly removed himself from Sugar and addressed the question to Rachel.

"Yes, Noah. Thank you. We'll talk tomorrow," she smiled at him then tugged on Quinn's hand.

"Night," he said and as soon as Rachel wasn't looking he gave Quinn an 'I'm watching you' look that would have been much less terrifying if she didn't care about Rachel so much.

"He's going to want to talk to you," Rachel said to Quinn as soon as they were off of the porch and sure that Puck had gone back to his attempt to swallow Sugar's face.

"I know."

"He's kind of like my big brother, except that it's not awkward when we talk about our sexual relationships," Rachel said in the matter-of-fact tone that she was fluid with.

"Sounds more like a big _bro_," Quinn laughed a little as they approached the door to their house. Hopefully everyone would be in their rooms by this time. It was nearly midnight and most of them had call at 9. They pushed open the door and made it all the way up the stairs unscathed.

That is until they heard a muffled, "I think she's back," come from Brittany and Santana's room.

Then they heard, "Leave them alone, Santana."

Brittany the Savior.

Quinn had left the door open when she'd looked for Rachel there nearly forty-five minutes earlier. She let Rachel walk in first, then shut and locked the door behind her.

"I'm worried," Rachel turned around quickly in the section between their beds.

Clearly, there was a first time for everything.

"About what?" Quinn tried not to sound as nervous as she felt about whatever was about to come out of Rachel's mouth.

"This whole time you've been worried about what's going to happen because we're living in the same space. Well," she closed her eyes and took a breath, "I'm worried about after this."

"After?" once again Quinn lost her bearings on the map.

"This," Rachel gestured around the room and widened her eyes, "When we're back in New York and _not_ living together."

"Oh," Quinn hadn't thought about that. She hadn't had time to think about that.

"You hadn't even thought about it," Rachel had that disappointed look on her face without fail made Quinn feel like she was the worst.

But, she didn't want to lie, "No."

"But now you are," Rachel pointed out and probably assumed that Quinn was going to start freaking out. Which is probably why she started doing it for her, "We don't even live that close to each other. I know that it's _one_ city, but sometimes it takes forever just to get to the top of the park from where I live. Not to mention that we'll have our own lives. I have to find a job when I get back and I'm sure that you do too even though you'll be Equity and companies are going to be flinging themselves at yoummm..."

Quinn had been progressively moving towards Rachel as she ranted and just a few seconds after she had gotten near enough, she interrupted Rachel with her lips.

"That is," Rachel exhaled, "Frustratingly effective."

"I know," Quinn smiled mere millimeters from Rachel's lips.

"But what-"

Kiss-rupted again.

"Stop. That's awful," Rachel said with her eyes still closed and the rest of her face telling Quinn it was just the opposite.

"We will take things as they come. Remember?" Quinn reminded Rachel what she'd assured her a couple weeks prior.

"Okay," Rachel smiled and draped her arms onto Quinn's shoulders.

"I love you," now that was all Quinn ever wanted to say.

"That looks so good coming out of your mouth," Rachel bit her bottom lip as she stared at Quinn's mouth.

"It feels good, too," Quinn responded fighting off a yawn. This was the absolute worst time to feel sleepy.

Rachel exhaled into a smile then pressed her lips to Quinn's. She pulled back and smiled again, "I love you." Then Rachel pushed back off of Quinn a little, "You promise to tell me when something is bothering you from now on?"

"Only if you promise the same," Quinn suggested sensing that Rachel's previous worry hadn't entered her brain for the first time merely this evening.

"I promise," Rachel smiled.

"Then so do I," Quinn returned.

"God your voice is so sexy," Rachel said once again staring at Quinn's mouth and with too much air surrounding her words.

Quinn was so tired, but somehow it didn't stop her from fiercely capturing Rachel's lips. For once she did something graceful, turning Rachel to the left and guiding her down to her bed all without breaking the connection between their mouths that was quickly intensifying. As if they'd done it a million times, they moved up the bed with Quinn on top of Rachel and their tongues battling for dominance.

"Take this thing off," Rachel requested breathlessly while tugging on Quinn's hoodie.

Quinn got up on her knees, still straddling Rachel's leg and yanked her sweatshirt off. She tossed it over to her own bed as Rachel peeled off her zip up and let it fall to the floor. Sooner than the piece of clothing hit the floor, Quinn dropped herself back down and kissed Rachel from her ear back to her lips. After a brief stint there, she decided to move a little lower and kissed over Rachel's jaw to her neck.

"Mmm..." Rachel's fingers wove their way into Quinn's hair while her other hand dipped underneath Quinn's t-shirt and firmly planted her entire hand on Quinn's back. And then her hips moved. Quinn felt them roll underneath her, searching for something to touch. The movement caused Quinn to ignore her sleepiness further and press on. She lowered herself more, pressing her front to Rachel entirely and lifting her thigh into Rachel's center. A deeper, throatier, "Mmm..." came out of her after the contact. Quinn continued lavishing Rachel's neck with attention, biting and sucking for only brief moments, careful not to leave marks. Then out of nowhere, her mouth opened up and a yawn completely overtook her. "Did you just yawn?" Rachel looked down with a smile.

"No," Quinn lied through her embarrassment.

"We don't have to do this now," Rachel said sweetly and squirming a little to the side to attempt some eye contact with Quinn.

"But I want to," Quinn pulled over the neck of Rachel's shirt and kissed her collar bone, "I want you." And then she yawned again.

"I know you do," Rachel caught Quinn's yawn.

"Uuuhh..." Quinn groaned and shifted over to Rachel's side, "I hate how tired I am right now." She was starting to feel quite defeated.

"You're so cute right now," Rachel smiled and kissed Quinn's forehead.

"I want our first time to be g- amazing," Quinn sleepily confessed.

"It will be," Rachel's gorgeous smile was still present, "it'll be even better if we're both awake for it."

"I'm sorry," Quinn let the defeat and lassitude wash over her as she apologized into Rachel's shoulder.

"It's okay," Rachel kissed Quinn's head, then yawned.

"After Hell Week, I'll be sooooo awake," Quinn yawned yet again and began to really snuggle into Rachel.

Rachel shifted a little and Quinn realized that she was trying to get the covers out from underneath them so that they could be underneath the covers. As they adjusted themselves, Rachel spoke softly, "We'll both be more awake next week."

"Me too," Quinn's eyes were closed as she nuzzled her cheek into Rachel's shoulder, draped her arm over her belly and threw her leg over Rachel's thighs, "This isn't squishing you, is it?"

"Not even close," Rachel laughed lightly, "It is a little warm though."

"Mmmkay," Quinn sat back up with her eyes still closed and shimmied out of her sweatpants. She kicked them out of the covers to the floor then opened one of her eyes, catching Rachel both taking off her sweatpants and staring at Quinn's underwear. "What, not a Buzz Lightyear fan?" she asked as she maneuvered her bra off from underneath her t-shirt.

"I'm more of a Woody... fan," Rachel kind of choked on her sentence when her eyes moved back up to see what Quinn was doing.

"I'll remember that," Quinn smirked, then waited for Rachel to complete the exact same task that she'd just finished. As soon as Rachel's bra was on the floor, she was lying back down and Quinn was snuggling right back up to her like she was before, only this time with her hand inside of Rachel's t-shirt, being careful not to venture up _too_ high.

Rachel reached over to the table in between their beds and switched off the light.

"Night."

"We've never done this before," Rachel said into the dark.

"Never done what before?" Quinn asked opening up one eye to glance at the clock on the table across from the foot of _her_ bed.

12:27 AM

"Slept with so little on," Rachel's breath was shallow and she sounded a little nervous.

"It's the next baby step, beautiful," Quinn answered both languidly and confidently, "And, by the way, you've officially wooed my pants off."

Quinn felt Rachel's chest shake with laughter as the word "Success!" floated out of her mouth, then she felt Rachel's head shift down to look at her, "I love you."

Quinn looked up, only able to see a silhouette of Rachel's face and with her stomach all a-flutter, she smiled and replied, "I love you, too."

* * *

**A/N: I know, this wasn't "weekly," but I was busy with writing something else. Which reminds me: I usually don't respond to Anon reviews bc I think it's annoying when writers do that in their author's notes at the end, but I got one for Just a Little Too that I feel like I should answer. Clearly, I'm answering it here with the hopes that he/she (but let's be serious, they're probably a girl) is reading this too. Anyways, I was asked if my Pezberry series was being discontinued. My answer is no, I'm not discontinuing it, I just can't possibly write two things at once and I _really_ wanted to write something different. I will let this be known right now, I will never discontinue something I start or break promises that make. Unlike some people on this site *cough*bazinga01*cough* I have principles... and my sister also told me she'd disown me if I didn't finish my shit... not that she reads any of them haha.**

**Okay, done with the novel and possibly making people mad *insert awkward face here*. Hope you all got off of that cliff alright. Lol. I'd love to hear from you! **


	19. A Sign

_Lips._

_And hands._

_Everywhere._

_It's hard to tell where one part ends and another begins._

_She's so beautiful and Quinn keeps telling her every time she lifts her lips from her skin. _

_Her hands skim up Rachel's stomach as her lips leave a trail of kisses down from her neck to her chest._

_At least that's where she thinks she's touching._

_Everything just feels so..._

_She doesn't know._

_One of her hands gets bold and moves upwards. Under her fingers is the distinct feeling of a hardened nipple and suddenly she knows exactly what's happening._

"_Quinn," she hears as her hand continues its slow graze over Rachel's breast._

"_Mmm..." she hums in response as she lets her hand rest and contemplates what to do next._

"_Quinn?" the voice above her sounds strangely urgent, but she interprets it as want. From there, her hand squeezes the flesh underneath it._

"_Quinn?" the urgency remains._

"_Yes, beautiful?" she asks._

"_Wake up."_

"_Huh?"_

"You're dreaming."

Quinn opened her eyes.

Opened. Her. Eyes.

Quinn was frozen as she looked at her arm under Rachel's shirt. She was mortified as she felt exactly what she was dreaming about under her hand.

'_Fuck.'_

~~{}~~

"I need to talk to you."

"Seriously, Puckerman?" Quinn slammed the A button on her headset so that no one else could hear her, "I told you, I'm all about that conversation, but you know that now and the next two and a half hours are the _worst_ possible time to want to talk."

"It's not about that," Puck shook his newly mowhawkless head, "Okay it is, but it's not that."

Quinn turned her left hand over and glimpsed at her watch, "Hold on a second," she ground out and turned back to her table. She pressed down both of the buttons on the receiver, "Five minutes to places, everyone. Places in five." She took a deep breath, undid the A and B buttons and turned back to Puck, "That's all you have and if someone needs me, I'm talking to them."

"Got it."

Then Quinn waited; for at least thirty seconds until she rolled her eyes and said "Well?"

"Stop acting weird," Puck nodded his head slightly and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" her impatience was certainly getting the best of her. It might have also been mixed a little with nervousness over knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"You don't have time to question me, Quinn. You know what I'm talking about," he took a step forward and furrowed his brow.

It had only been a few hours past a day since the incident in question happened, when would Rachel have found time to tell him? _Why_ would she tell him? "I _hope_ that you don't know _what_ you're talking about."

"I don't know what happened, I just know that you're acting weird now and it stresses her out. Seriously, stop doing that. She's _really_ into you and I'm sick of listening to her blab about how weird you're being when I'm gettin' my gym on. Just cut the shit and talk to her, Fabray!" Puck turned on his heel with his arms still crossed and huffed out of the booth, leaving Quinn with two minutes and fourteen seconds to places.

"Hey, Quinn?"

"Yup?" she responded to her favorite assistant stage manager, barely paying attention.

"Your cast deputy wants to talk to you," Charlie sounded nervous saying it. Probably because every other time someone tried to talk to Quinn over the headset that wasn't supposed to be on headset, she'd given him an ear full about why they couldn't.

But not this time.

"Always with the most impeccable timing. She has a minute and a half," Quinn sighed and let her face fall into her palms as she waited to hear her voice.

"Hey," her voice came through the headset.

"Hi," Quinn sighed again, only this time it was because she just loved hearing her voice, even though she could hear its hesitance.

Dammit! Puck was right, she was being weird and she had to fix things. Again.

"I'm speaking on behalf of the cast, cast deputy and all. Everyone just wants to thank you, even Holly," Rachel laughed softly, "for everything. The consensus is that we wouldn't all feel so ready for today or yesterday, the interns at least, without you."

Quinn's lips curled up in a smile that she couldn't have stopped if she'd tried, "Thank you."

"You deserve the recognition," of course she couldn't see it, but she knew that Rachel was smiling.

"I love you," it just fell out. So much for being professional over the headset.

"I love you, too."

Since professionalism was already out the window, "Break a leg, beautiful."

It was quiet for a moment and Quinn bit her lip waiting for a response. She heard a heavy breath and then, "Thanks, you too."

"Thank you," she responded as she wished she could redo her last 28 hours, then she looked at her watch, "I have to call places."

"Okay," Rachel sighed, "See you after?"

"I couldn't think of anything better," Quinn mustered up the romanticism she always had inside of her.

"Here you go, Charlie. Thank you," Quinn heard Rachel's voice change gradually from close to the mic to far from it.

Then she heard Charlie, "I don't know what you said to her, but she was all lip bitey and pink."

Quinn let out a heavy breath of relief.

"She called her beautiful and told her that nothing would be better than spending time with her," Sugar's voice came through the headset loud and clear.

"Thank you, Sugar! Okay, I'm calling places now so be quiet," she pressed down the B button, "Lords and ladies of _As You Like It_, it is now time for places, I repeat, places now."

"You're such a dork," Cha Cha laughed into the headset.

"Whatever, Cha Cha. I know that you're here. Sugar?"

"Still here and everyone's in place on stage right."

"Thank you. Dave?"

"Sound is ready."

"Thanks. Matt?"

"Lights in the house!"

Quinn rolled her eyes and continued, "Cha Cha is left ready?"

"All set."

"And is the house ready?"

"Everyone is seated and ten seats shy of a full house," the woman in charge of the house staff responded over the line.

"And it's 2:05, perfect," Quinn smiled at the perfect timing. She jotted down the time and zoned in on her prompt script, "Light cue one: Go."

She watched the house lights go out, then felt for the right moment.

"Sound cue one: Go."

She listened and once again waited, this time listening for a certain sound.

"Light cue two: Go."

She looked on the stage for a silhouette and then, "Light cue three, sound cue two: Go."

~~{}~~

"That was the best matinee I've ever been involved in," Quinn could hear Rachel's voice as soon as she opened the door to the main women's dressing room under the stage.

"Seriously, who'd have thought so many New Hampshire... ans," Santana scrunched up her face thinking about it, then shrugged it off, "would be so into Billy Shakes?"

"Not me," Quinn smiled and stood by the door, then she spotted Tina, "Hey, are you okay? I can't believe I have to mention those stairs _again_."

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll probably have a bruise on my shin, but it's okay. It's the embarrassment that's really getting to me," Tina answered as she wiped away her stage make-up.

"Pain really does take a backseat to embarrassment, doesn't it?" Mercedes laughed as she zipped up her bag, then walked over to Danielle and Abby. "We're all set right?" she looked to Quinn.

"Yeah, just sign out with Charlie," Quinn answered, still not sure why everyone had to sign in and out of the theater, but it was Jean's company and she made the rules.

"Thanks, Quinn," Mercedes said she passed by her to exit the dressing room.

"Yeah, thanks."

"You're the best," Abby and Danielle said in succession as if it were one sentence.

"See you guys at the party later?" Mercedes poked her head back into the dressing room.

Santana "duh-ed," Brittany yelled out, "YES!" Tina said, "of course," Rachel didn't say anything and Quinn asked, "What party?"

Before she could get too terrified, Santana answered, "Celebrating opening weekend. Tech House. You're going. And so is your girlfriend."

Rachel's eyes got wide and she looked quickly between Santana and Quinn. It had been just over a week and that was the first time someone else had acknowledged them out loud. Quinn knew it, so Rachel must have known it. For a moment, Quinn forgot that things were a little weird and she looked at Rachel from across the room with the love she knew she felt for her. And Rachel was giving it back.

"Ew get a room," Santana rolled her eyes and walked between them.

"Well, I gotta go!" Tina slung her bag over her shoulder and went for the door, "Thanks Quinn, great show everyone. See you all later. I know, check out with Charlie."

"Can we go, too? I wanna go to the house," Brittany grabbed Santana's hand and swung it between them.

'_So we can have sex,'_ Quinn finished Brittany's sentence in her head and rolled her eyes.

"What, Q?" Santana huffed.

"I can't leave yet. You know that from yesterday. Maybe one of the guys can give you a ride back-"

"Who needs a ride?" a pair of lips entered the room a minute before the rest Sam's face did.

"We do, Trouty," Santana stepped forward with Brittany in tow.

"Ah, my second favorite lady couple," Sam smiled his gigantic mouth smile.

"Second?"

"Ellen and Portia," Sam shrugged.

"I guess I'm okay with that," Santana stuck out her bottom lip and nodded.

"It's just Blaine and me, so there's plenty of room."

"Coming, Rachel?" Brittany looked back at Rachel, who'd been silent since Quinn walked into the dressing room.

Rachel looked at Quinn.

This was perfect. They could talk there at the theater. In the booth to be specific. Quinn still had a few things to do up there while the house staff and the run crew finished up.

"Stay," she mouthed to Rachel.

"I'll wait for Quinn," she responded quietly.

"See ya!" Santana waved at them and started pulling Brittany out of the dressing room.

Brittany rolled her eyes and let go of Santana's hand. She walked over to Rachel, gave her a hug, then turned back to Quinn and did the same, whispering, "Stop being weird and talk to her."

Clearly, Brittany had magic powers.

"Bye, kids!" Brittany called back as she let Santana pull her out into the hallway.

"You look confused," Rachel said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and shrugging her bag onto her shoulder more.

"It's... nothing," Quinn knew that wasn't what Rachel wanted to hear, but she said it anyways, because she wanted to move this somewhere else, "Come up to the booth with me?"

Rachel nodded and Quinn let her pass her out of the dressing room.

In a step towards letting Rachel know that she didn't want things to be "weird" anymore, Quinn reached out and grabbed her hand. She watched Rachel look down at their hands and then up to Quinn. Her huge brown eyes did that smiling thing that went straight to Quinn's stomach.

She _really_ needed to stop doing stupid things like avoiding Rachel whenever something happened. That's not how problems get fixed. This wasn't even a _problem_; Quinn was just so mortified she didn't know what to say. She was even too embarrassed to sleep in the same bed with Rachel, which, they'd made a habit since their declarations that Monday. She even resorted to her trusty getaway, having Charlie pick her up 3 hours before she had to be at the theater.

"I bet you take all the ladies up here?" Rachel chuckled a little as they stepped into the booth.

"Oh yeah, it's so sexy," Quinn replied sarcastically as they passed the incredibly unsexy light board.

"Well, when you're up here it is," Rachel made deliberate eye contact with Quinn as she licked her lips.

Quinn couldn't stop the thought that they should be having sex already. They would have, had the last week of her life not been the most exhausting. Two dress rehearsals a day for five days was a lot for both of them. If they'd already been having sex, what had happened the morning before wouldn't have been so embarrassing. Actually, it probably never would have happened at all, then Quinn would have never acted weird and they wouldn't have to have this conversation!

"We should have talked about this yesterday," Quinn sighed and hung her head, shaking it.

"It's okay. Well, actually no, it's not really, but you're getting better," Rachel smiled as Quinn quirked up her eyebrow, "The time between something happening and you finally talking about it has diminished greatly. We're down to almost a day."

"Progress," Quinn smiled, expressing a tiny amount of enthusiasm. Rachel gave an adorable half smile in response. "I'm sorry about... you know... that," Quinn was of course referring to the incident.

"You don't think that I was angry, do you?" Rachel asked, taking a step closer to Quinn and putting her hand on the chair in front of Quinn's desk.

"I hope not," Quinn winced a little.

"More shocked... and turned on," she said the second part slowly, as if she were second guessing it as it was already coming out, but she still managed to nibble on her bottom lip.

With those three drawn out words came a leadened feeling in Quinn's lungs and a racing in her bloodstream. And now _really_ all she could think was, _'Seriously, why the fuck aren't we having sex?'_

"So," Quinn gulped as discreetly as she possibly could, "You liked it?"

Rachel laughed softly, "That's a silly question."

And then Quinn found herself wondering where all of the oxygen went. It certainly wasn't getting to her lungs or her brain.

"I just," Rachel twisted her lips a little and fiddled with her hands, "Wish we were a little more aware of it happening at the time. But," she dropped her hands and bit her lip as she smiled, "If you're that good with your hands when you're asleep, I can't even imagine what you're like you're awake."

She couldn't control herself, Quinn pushed Rachel back against the wall and crashed their lips together. Rachel hummed out a moan that vibrated against Quinn's lips. Quinn needed more. She licked across Rachel's bottom lip then nipped at it, willing her mouth open so that they could partake in the battle that Quinn fell in love with engaging in. Rachel's mouth popped open as her hands found the inside of Quinn's shirt. As Quinn's brain processed the sensation of Rachel's hands skimming over her bare skin, Rachel took charge of what was happening between their mouths. She did that thing where she licked up the bottom of Quinn's tongue, making her breath hitch. It was suddenly a little too much to be standing.

Quinn broke their connection only to find the chair at her SM desk. Once she knew its exact location, she grabbed Rachel's hand and pulled her with her on her way to the chair. She'd barely been sitting for a millisecond before Rachel's knees were on either side of her thighs and they were making out again. This time, Quinn found bare skin as her hands met with Rachel's thighs.

Rachel's fingers moved into Quinn's hair as Quinn kissed away from her lips, over her jaw and down her neck. She always smelled so good. The combination of Rachel's skin, hair and whatever she decided to spray after she showered was always intoxicating. Today it was amber. Quinn felt like she could kiss there all day. The tiny moans coming from Rachel's throat only made her want to stay there longer. She kissed back up to Rachel's lips, then back down to the other side of her neck. Here she decided to suck ever so slightly on Rachel's skin. Rachel's hips ground down into Quinn's thighs several times.

As things above the waist progressed, Quinn's hands slowly made their way up on Rachel's thighs until they got a point where they felt two different fabrics: Rachel's skirt, which she'd been feeling on the back of her hands all along and what Quinn could only assume was Rachel's underwear. Immediately she remembered where they were. Her eyes shot open and her lips stopped moving on Rachel's neck.

"What's wrong?" Rachel's hands moved from Quinn's hair to cup her cheeks, her voice caught between concerned and aroused.

Quinn inhaled heavily, receiving a gust of that scent she found so intoxicating, "Not here."

As much as she didn't want to wait any longer and as hot as it would be to say that they'd had sex in the booth, she didn't want their first time to be there.

Rachel placed her hands on the back of the chair behind Quinn, rested their foreheads together and sighed quite heavily and possibly disappointedly, "Okay."

"I just umm... I have to do a few more things and everyone else should be ready, so we can go soon... to our room," Quinn said into the breathing space that they were currently sharing.

Rachel sighed again, bit down on her lip then placed a light kiss on Quinn's lips. "Our room is much better than this chair," she laughed a little, kissed Quinn again, then gently removed herself from Quinn and the chair and backed up against the wall, out of Quinn's way.

As quickly as she could, Quinn packed up her messenger bag, taking her notebook full of her notes from the performance and leaving her prompt book. She flicked off the headset, then the lamp and gestured for Rachel to leave the booth. She flicked the lights off as she passed and closed the door behind them. As they walked down the stairs, she hoped with everything she had that everyone else was done and she could get in her car go.

With Rachel.

To their room.

And have sex.

Finally.

"Where've you been, bitch?" Charlie asked in what Quinn assumed was a British accent.

"Thank god you're here, grandma's been raped," Rachel replied quite dramatically with a much clearer Australian dialect.

"AAAAAHHHH! OHMYGOD! I can't believe you know that! No one ever knows Summer Heights High!" Cha Cha was absolutely freaking out over Rachel knowing what he was referring to.

"Public schools are so random," Rachel said in the Australian dialect and they both laughed started cracking up.

Quinn just stood there with her eyebrow quirked and feeling like she'd completely missed something.

"Oh this is great! We totally have to watch it sometime," Cha Cha said through his laughter, "Seriously though, where have you guys been? Everyone's been done for like, ten minutes," Charlie asked as Rachel and Quinn finally got to the booth. They'd stopped during the whole Aussie exchange.

"Just finishing up in the booth," Quinn smiled curtly.

"Mhm," Charlie hummed through pursed lips, "Fabray, Quinn, Berry, Rachel and Flaherty, Charles. You guys going to the party tonight?"

"I think so," Quinn answered quickly. They might not. Maybe they'd be a little late.

"Cool! I actually know about this one, so I'm coming," Cha Cha smiled big and excited as they walked out of the stage door, "I'll see you guys later!" He backed away and then turned towards his car, which was located on the opposite end of the parking lot from Quinn's.

For once, the people of New Hampshire were driving and Quinn and Rachel made it to the cul-de-sac in less than ten minutes. It was actually a record for Quinn. It had to be a sign. A good sign. A sign that pointed straight to their bedroom. This was really going to happen. Things weren't weird, she was wide awake and Rachel kept looking at her like there was nothing else in the world.

All they had to do was get through the house and up the stairs. Then they could lock out everything else.

They looked at each other once more before opening their doors and heading up the driveway together hand in hand. Across the cul-de-sac, Tech House already had music blasting in the backyard and probably already had the grill going. Not important. Getting in the house was important.

"Perfect timing!"

'_Oh no.'_

"Party starts in twenty and we need more booze," Santana was on the porch before they could even get to it.

"Take my keys," Quinn frantically tossed them at her friend, who just let them hit the porch.

"No can do, Quinniepoo, I'm already four tequila shots deep and that won't pass a breathalyzer. So, let's go," Santana grabbed Quinn's keys off the floor and turned Quinn and Rachel back around towards the car.

She did it far too easily.

Quinn was too shocked to stop her. Everything was going perfectly and then they didn't even make it into the house. Of all the people in the world, Santana was the last person she would ever think would prevent her from having sex.

Something really weird was happening and Quinn didn't like.

At all.

* * *

**A/N: So, I had every intention of posting this yesterday, but my eyes have kind of been glued to the news. I live in Massachusetts and really, making sure that everyone that I know that was in the Boston was safe was a little more important to me yesterday. I'm fine, everyone that I know personally is fine, but everyone I know, myself included, is pretty shaken up about how close to home this is. I'm not really saying this for any sympathy, like I said, I'm fine, I just hope that you all let the people you love know it and let them know often. I hope you're all well and if you decide to leave a comment, I'd love to hear that you are.**


	20. Off Kilter

Challenge Number... there have been too many to count: Get Rachel Into Bed.

Something was definitely going on.

It was like the world was just a hair off kilter. Just enough to knock Quinn and Rachel off the path they wanted to be on or perhaps just enough to knock everything and everyone else into their path.

It started with Santana. Her insistence upon going to the liquor store and Quinn driving, was only the first in a series of unfortunate events that prolonged their beyond necessary bedroom time.

They didn't buy anything while they were there. They didn't plan on drinking. Actually, they'd decided they definitely weren't drinking. While they were wandering around aimlessly, waiting for Santana to finish deciding which brand of tequila to buy, they decided that they'd just make an appearance. They'd stay for maybe an hour and definitely not more than two, then politely excuse themselves... or just disappear.

It was a perfect plan.

Except...

"What's the matter?" Quinn asked cautiously after she caught Rachel worrying her lip.

"They're going to know why we left. Once they figure out that we've left, they're going to know why. I'm not sure I can handle that many people knowing exactly what I'm doing," she bit back down on her lip and put the worried look back in her eyes.

Quinn wasn't sure that she wanted that either, "And if we're late they're going to think the same thing..."

"Maybe we should wait until everyone is too drunk to notice?"

"That could take all night! Do you see Santana? Four shots and she is highly functioning. They're all like that," Quinn quietly panicked, then looked over to Santana who was still deciding... maybe she wasn't _highly_ functioning. As she watched her currently carefree friend decide between gold and silver, the thought _'What would Santana do?'_ surprisingly crept its way into her mind. Then for once, she took a page out of the book that Santana had written for herself and decided that she didn't give a shit: "Fuck it," she exhaled, "I don't care. I don't want to wait anymore... I _can't _wait anymore. I mean, of course I'll respect your decision if you still-"

Quinn's thoughts were interrupted by Rachel's favorite argument tactic, except that there was no argument. Just kissing. She sucked lightly on Quinn's bottom lip then gave it back, "I can't wait anymore either. So what if they know we're having sex?"

"So what?" Quinn repeated and shrugged. She smiled and leaned down a little to give Rachel a light kiss.

"Get a room," Santana scoffed as she walked by with bottles of Camarena Silver and Malibu Coconut cradled in each of her arms.

Quinn refrained from informing Santana that she had actually prevented them from doing exactly that approximately twenty minutes prior and settled for training a death glare at the back of her head for most of her transaction. She would have kept it there until she turned around, but Rachel grabbed her hand, brought their arms flush and kissed her shoulder, successfully erasing the death glare before Santana was finished paying for her alcohol.

"To Drunksville!" Santana called out as she turned away from the counter with her black and gold plastic bag.

Quinn simply rolled her eyes and followed her out with Rachel's fingers still entwined with her own.

This was the mildest event in the series. Because then the party happened.

"Quinn!"

She distinctly heard her name called through the cacophony that had erupted when she, Rachel, Santana and Brittany walked into the backyard of Tech House. What was even more distinct about it, was the voice it was in.

Puckerman.

"Shit," Quinn mumbled, leaning into Rachel a little.

"What?"

"Your big bro wants to have that talk," Quinn muttered through a smile as Puck approached them.

"It's going to be fine," Rachel said with a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm not worried," Quinn looked over and caught Rachel's eyes, "I'm more upset about having to leave you."

"Well, aren't you the sweetest?" Rachel got up on her toes and rubbed her nose against Quinn's.

"Okay stop with the cuteness, it makes it harder to be tough on her," Puck smiled and shook his head.

"That was my intention," Rachel laughed and nudged Quinn forward a little.

"Where to, Puckerman?" Quinn sighed as her hand slipped out of Rachel's. She really didn't want to be leaving her side, especially this soon.

"The basement," Puck shrugged and immediately began guiding Quinn towards the sliding door.

"Go easy!" Rachel called out as Puck slid the screen and gently pushed Quinn inside.

"That defeats the whole purpose," Puck called back as they stepped over the threshold. He closed the glass behind them before Rachel could say anything else. Quinn turned after she heard the sucking sound of the door closing behind her, caught Rachel's eye... and smile, and waved to her with her fingers. Her bottom lip found its way between her teeth as her heart started to hammer a little harder than usual. "Seriously, with the cuteness, though," Puck broke into her Rachel stupor and stood between her and the door.

"Maybe I can't help it," Quinn shrugged and motioned for him to lead the way to the basement. Once Puck had passed her, she looked back out to Rachel who waved then shooed her away. With much reluctance, Quinn turned and followed Puck to the left, through the kitchen and to a door that Puck opened for her, then gestured for her to go first. "You aren't going to like, chop me up into little pieces down here are you?" she asked with little chuckle as her foot hit the first step down.

"That sounds messy," Puck responded as he followed her down.

Quinn's mouth fell open after she turned from the bottom of the stairs.

She'd been down in the basement in the girls' house. There was a washing machine, a dryer, a bathroom and two bedrooms. The only things finished in their basement were the bedrooms and the bathroom. The area where the washer and dryer were, was regular old unfinished basement space with stone walls, cross beams and fluorescent lighting.

This was nothing like their basement. Yes, it probably had the two bedrooms and the bathroom, but the rest of it: totally finished. More than finished, actually. On the far end to the left was a bar complete with stools, cabinets and a sink. In front of that was a pool table complete with a light fixture that would be customary for such a thing. The stone walls were hidden behind what Quinn assumed to be luan faced flats, until she approached a wall. Then, she retracted her assumption and realized that they were three-quarter inch ply faced platforms that probably had insulation stuffed into them.

"Put of a bunch tech theatre kids in one house and they get shit done," Puck smiled as he passed by Quinn and moved behind the bar. He started opening cabinets and grabbing things as he spoke, "Things have been getting added every summer to different parts of the house. We were thinking about building a little cabana bar for the pool."

"Actors don't do anything cool like that," Quinn groaned as she turned around to speak to Puck. Her eyes landed on two shot glasses and a bottle of Sour Apple schnapps, then they flicked up to see Puck with a shaker in one hand and a bottle of Crown Royal in the other. Before she could say anything, he'd already put them down on the bar and bent down. She heard the distinct sound of a fridge opening and soon enough, Puck was back with a bottle of cranberry juice and a can of Sprite. "I-"

"Don't tell me that you don't drink Fabray. I saw you with that flask," he pointed with the can of Sprite, "Don't deny my Washington Apple shots, either... or else." He put the can down and started cracking his knuckles the same way he had done on the porch on the Fourth of July.

It really shouldn't have been intimidating. Actually, if it had been any other scenario, Quinn probably would have been laughing so hard she'd need the pool table to keep her up. This was a completely foreign scenario to her. Never in her life had she had to deal with a girlfriend's protective older sibling. She'd only ever had one girlfriend before Rachel and she'd never really gotten the chance to meet her family... even after a year... she really should have seen that break-up coming... anyways: Clearly, Puck wasn't Rachel's real big brother, but that didn't stop this moment from making her feel nervous; he cared about her just as if she were his little sister.

And Quinn cared about Rachel. The emotion towards Rachel only made her more nervous, making her feel the need for this go beyond well.

But she really didn't want to be drinking. There was no way she was going to be engaging in drunken first time sex with Rachel. Not a chance. Unfortunately, she also couldn't come up with an excuse for not being able to drink that would for work for sure. She definitely wasn't going to tell him that she wasn't drinking because she wanted to soberly enjoy her first time with Rachel. Just because that was something that Rachel and Puck were comfortable talking about, didn't mean that he'd be okay with _Quinn _bringing it up. She really didn't want to chance it either.

She didn't seem to have a choice.

Quinn gulped down the lump that had formed in her throat as she nodded slowly at Puck.

"Good," he smiled and started pouring ingredients into the shaker... in large portions. Definitely more than two shots worth. She waited with her lip nervously wedged between her teeth. This was _not_ something she wanted. There was for sure enough alcohol in that shaker to make her drunk. Granted she probably wasn't going to be drinking it all, but she was pretty sure that half of what was in there would be enough. Her lip stayed between her teeth as she watched Puck pour the red liquid into the shot glasses.

"Bottoms up," Puck said as he held out one of the shots for Quinn to take. She looked between his hand and his eyes, determining that this 'talk' wasn't going to happen until he wanted it to.

So she took it, clinked it against his glass and threw it back with him, not feeling the burn of sour apple, cranberry acid, carbonation and way too much whiskey until it was already sliding down her esophagus. She exhaled heavily as she slammed down the shot glass that Puck promptly filled back up.

'_Fuck.'_

Without words, they picked up the glasses and repeated their previous steps, this time the burn occurred instantly. After placing the glass back on the bar, she put her hand down and leaned forward a little in an attempt to breathe out what she'd just ingested.

"If you hadn't already guessed," Puck started as he poured another round, "Rachel's like my little sister. Of course minus the part where I wanted to date her back in the day, but that's irreverent."

Quinn let the blatant word mix-up slide. At the moment, the burn in her chest was much more important. She was also a little busy trying zen her way to remaining sober.

"I know it sounds cheesy, but Rachel's pretty special," Puck continued and nudged a full shot glass forward.

Quinn was starting to think the world hated her as she stared down the third shot.

"I know she is," she looked up, smiling nervously.

Why did he need to do this to her now, of all times?

"I hate seeing her hurt. She's pretty tough, but she's also really good at hiding things. I know it doesn't seem like it because she talks so much, but she doesn't always let everything out," Puck nudged the third shot forward and quirked up his eyebrows, Quinn taking that as him saying he wasn't continuing until she took it again.

She sighed heavily as she picked it up between her fingers and stared at it with her brow furrowed. After shaking her head, she brought the glass to her mouth and threw it back just like the other two. "Fuck!" she exhaled away the burn, "You're trying to kill me, aren't you Puckerman?"

"No way! Rachel would never forgive me! I'm just making sure you don't sleep with her yet," he said with complete and utter nonchalance.

"What?" Quinn snapped feeling her pulse spike and subsequently making her feel the alcohol coursing through her bloodstream. It caused her to stumble ever so slightly, having to catch herself on the stool.

"You're already well on your way, you might as well have these ones," he nudged numbers four and five towards the hand she had place on the bar.

"No. This is bullshit!" she said it to the pure whiskey shots that were staring her in the face.

Being angry definitely wasn't helping her situation. She was feeling more and more inebriated by the second.

"Take them, listen to me and then go back upstairs."

"What's stopping me from just going upstairs right now, without hearing what you have to say?" Quinn crossed her arms and curled her lips into a thin line. This was ridiculous and completely crossing some line.

"Because you love her..."

_'Fuck.'_

He was right. Before she could really contemplate it, she picked up number four, cringed, then took it. She exhaled heavily through her mouth, then immediately repeated with number five. She slammed down the glass as she coughed out the burn from the straight whiskey that she'd just forced down her own throat.

"...And I just wanted to see if you do anything for her. It's one thing to say 'yes' when you're asked, but it's another to actually do it. Man, you just took so much Crown Royal!" he suddenly turned into the bro that Quinn was used to, "Rachel's girlfriend is a champ!"

"You're totally fucked," Quinn's fist hit the bar top without her permission, confirming her status of drunk.

"Not as fucked as you'll be if you hurt her," he twisted his fist into his palm.

"I won't," Quinn said heavily, then sighed knowing what an unrealistic promise that was, no matter how much she never wanted it to happen, "I don't want to. I can't, you know, predict the future or anything, but I can tell you that's the furthest thing from my mind."

Great. The unstoppable honesty that comes with her drinking too much had already arrived.

Puck maneuvered himself out from behind the bar and passed Quinn on his way to the stairs. He turned when he got to the end of the hall that held them and sighed, "Just don't fuck her and leave her."

Quinn took in how serious Puck looked. He also had this sad look in his eyes that would have made a sober Quinn uncomfortable.

"What?" she whispered, the insinuation and the thought that it may have happened to Rachel before making her unable to make her voice work properly.

"See, she doesn't tell everything," Puck popped up his eyebrows, keeping the heaviness of what he was saying visible in the rest of his face. He turned and started for the stairs, then turned back quickly, "Don't ask her tonight. You should hear it when you're sober." With those words, he turned and started a light jog down the hall and up the stairs, leaving Quinn with the question of what he could possibly be talking about.

Through her terribly drunken vision, Quinn made her way back up the stairs and began her search for Rachel. She tried to act as sober as possible as she weaved through the people around the kitchen and the living room.

"Hey, Quinn," she felt a hand on her elbow and she spun around to find Kurt, "Rachel's out... side. And now that I see the state you're in, I don't feel so bad saying this: she's probably going to be pretty inebriated in the next ten minutes."

"It's fine," Quinn mumbled as she turned away from Kurt, "Clearly sex is a pipe dream for us."

"Oooookay," Quinn heard Kurt say as she was making her way to the sliding door.

_'Wait, what did I just say?'_

"Girlfriend!"

_'Oh, she's silly, too!'_

As soon as she was on the deck, Rachel had spotted her from the adirondack chair she was was sitting in. She popped up much too quickly and stumbled, nearly going for a swim in her clothes. Once she had her balance all straightened out, she looked back to Quinn, giggled, then gestured that she was going to come up to meet her. Somehow, Rachel was up to Quinn on the deck in no time. It was like the moments between the gesture and them being face to face didn't exist.

"You're drunk," Rachel said with way too much D in drunk.

"It's Puckerman's fault," Quinn pouted, then flicked Rachel's shoulder, "So are you!"

"I know!" Rachel squealed and cover her mouth briefly, "I didn't want to! I said 'no,' but then they were all like, 'Come on, Rachel! Don't be lame! It's not like you have to drive,' I've gotten really awful with handling peer pressure as I've gotten older," Rachel pouted adorably and let her head drop to Quinn's chest.

"It's okay, beautiful lady," Quinn wrapped her arms around Rachel and kissed the top of her head.

"I think you just made me more drunk," Rachel mumbled into Quinn's chest.

_'Huh?'_

"And you smell _sooo_ good," Rachel groaned with her face still in Quinn's chest. She inhaled deeply, then looked up, "What is that?"

"Umm..." Quinn had the answer on the tip of her tongue, but her brain took a detour to Rachel's eyes and got a little lost.

After a few moments, Rachel giggled and buried her face back into Quinn's chest, mumbling, "You're _sooo_ drunk."

"Thanks," Quinn huffed, "rub it in."

"Okay," Rachel said airily then nuzzled her face even deeper into Quinn's chest, causing Quinn's pulse to race and making her feel drunker. She suddenly understood what Rachel was saying before. "Let's go somewhere else," Rachel looked back up from Quinn's chest with eyes that Quinn couldn't read.

Still, her mind went straight to the gutter, "Rach, I can't... not like this," she said with a small voice as she shook her head.

Rachel's mouth went wide as her eyes adopted a look of slight shock, "You thought I was talking about... no! I don't want to like this! Gutter brain! I meant somewhere with a seat..." she bit down on her lip and scrunched her face a little, "and maybe where no one else is? I jus' wannatalk."

"There should have been two more T's in that sentence," Quinn giggled as she loosened her grip around Rachel's waist.

"Shh... I lost them," Rachel whispered and Quinn lost it. She was laughing so hard she was having a hard time standing. Just when Quinn didn't think that Rachel could get more adorable, Drunk Rachel showed up with all of her silliness. As Quinn breathed out her laughter, Rachel took her hand and started leading her into the house, "Okay drunky, let's try the porch."

"Who are you calling 'drunky,' drunky?" Quinn furrowed her eyebrow and kept a serious face for approximately .05 seconds before she started laughing again, this time joined by Rachel.

They laughed their way to the front of the house, blatantly ignoring everyone that they passed, then stumbled onto a completely empty porch with a swing perfect for two. Rachel kept pulling Quinn until they were in front of the swing. Upon arrival, she plopped right down, then, with a smirk and an eyebrow wag, patted the spot next to her for Quinn to sit down. Quinn giggled a little and bit her lip before turning around and sitting down with her thighs flush to Rachel's.

At this moment, Quinn was feeling a little emotionally torn. In the back of her mind, she was extremely frustrated, for multiple reasons, all of which quite obvious. At the same time, she was strangely content with the way things were happening. While of course she'd rather be sober and spending time with Rachel in their room, spending time with Rachel like this, was fun and quite exhilarating. The alcohol coursing through her system made everything that Rachel made her feel, feel heightened and while it made her feel lightheaded and somewhat out of control, she liked it.

"Infinity Questions?" Rachel asked, turning on the swing so that her leg was on the seat with her shin touching Quinn's thigh.

Sitting back and taking in Rachel's hopeful expression, Quinn quirked up her eyebrow and asked, "You sure that's the _best_ idea?"

"Oh, definitely," Rachel said with her eyes locked on Quinn's, then they flicked down to Quinn's thigh where her fingers had started drawing little patterns on the bare skin that Quinn's shorts left.

Quinn's eyes went there as well, just in time to see the goosebumps rise, despite the warmth of the July evening air. That 'just a little bit more drunk' feeling rose up and she exhaled, "Okay."

She looked back up to Rachel who was still staring down at the motions she was making on Quinn's thigh. Her bottom lip had traveled between her teeth, but in the shy cute way. It popped back out and Rachel asked, "What was your umm... dream like yesterday morning?" Rachel looked back up to meet Quinn's eyes, her breath a little heavier than when she began to ask the question.

And there was that rush again, only now it was coupled with slight ache between her thighs. She swallowed, then inhaled deeply, "It..." she worried her lip briefly, as she contemplated how to explain it, "It was kind of... weird. Not bad weird," she clarified quickly, before Rachel's face could react, "I mean, I couldn't really see, I just felt. Like, I knew where my lips were and I knew where my hands were, but I couldn't see what they were touching. I just knew it was you and how amazing it felt." Of course now all Quinn could think about was doing it again, only much more aware of her surroundings.

"I can't wait for you to do it again," Rachel said through a heavy sigh and so quietly that if there had been anyone else on the porch with them, they definitely wouldn't have heard it.

And since it was already out there, why not confess it, "That's all I can think about right now."

Rachel let out a sharp, heavy exhale, then inhaled deeply, "It's um... your turn."

Quinn didn't have a question. Well, she did have one, but if there was one thing that she was for sure going to keep inside tonight, it was that. Besides, this wasn't the time to get into heavy emotional things, not when her heart was beating like it was and blood was rushing straight down. She might not have wanted to _do_ anything for it in this state, but that didn't stop her from wanting to keep the conversation the way it was.

And with that thought, she came up with a question, "You seemed quite disappointed when we stopped earlier, did you really want to have sex in the booth?"

Okay, so it wasn't the best question, especially since their location was _really_ the only thing stopping her from taking Rachel right then, but it was all she could think of and she didn't want to pass her turn.

"No, I didn't," she answered then looked down their legs with her lip sandwiched nervously between her teeth. Part of the rules were that if a 'yes or no' question is asked, the answer had to be elaborated on. It was starting to look like Quinn might have asked a decent question after all, "I was umm... umm..." Rachel chewed on her lip again, then started whispering, "I was almost there."

"There?" Quinn quirked up her eyebrow.

Rachel rolled her eyes, "You know... _there_."

"You almost came?" Quinn stage whispered out in shock, then snapped her mouth shut.

Rachel gasped then slapped Quinn's thigh, "Yes! Shh!"

In the not-so-bright porch light, Quinn could see the crimson that had risen in Rachel's cheeks. Her inebriated state caused her to push forward and ask, "But how? My hands were on your thigh."

Rachel's brow furrowed and her lips twisted to the side. Just when Quinn thought she wasn't getting an answer, she huffed and said, "The jeans that you were wearing... the fly it was... every time I moved I felt it and your lips were on my neck and your hands," her eyes closed for a moment, then she opened them back up, "I get turned on when you talk, so when you're touching me it's like... I don't even know how to describe it," she quirked up her eyebrow, "things get messy."

This time Quinn let out a sharp exhale, feeling her own mess and that ache get just a little worse.

"Your turn," she gulped out.

"Well," Rachel shifted a little and Quinn caught a quick glimpse of the pouty/smirky face. It was only a quick glimpse because before she could take that in, her entire body was busy processing Rachel swinging her leg over her thighs and straddling her. Once Rachel was settled she began speaking again, Quinn barely taking it in, "Since we're playing _this_ game: What's your favorite thing to do to a girl? Beyond second base."

That was an easy question. The difficult part was _how_ to answer it. There were just so many ways to phrase it. Unfortunately, at the time, Quinn couldn't think of a sexy way to say any of the ones she could think of. So instead, she decided to combine actions with words and thanks to Rachel's new positioning, it was easy to do.

"My favorite thing is," she leaned forward, moving her mouth close to Rachel's ear, then licked up its length, "doing that, much, much lower."

"Really?" Quinn couldn't tell if that was arousal or nervousness in Rachel's voice... or perhaps it was both.

"Definitely," Quinn answered with her alcohol induced confidence.

"I- I've," Quinn moved from Rachel's shaking head, so her back was once again against the swing, "No one's ever..."

Quinn gasped quietly, "Seriously? But you've... you're not..?" she actually didn't know what she was asking, preventing her from being able to form a proper question.

"Oh this is going to ruin everything," Rachel's chin fell to her chest.

"Try me," Quinn suggested with a soft smile as she lifted Rachel's chin back up.

"Well," Rachel's eyes went down to the hem of Quinn's shirt where her hands were nervously fiddling with it, "As you know, I'm Jewish," Quinn nodded in response, her smile never faltering, "And you know that we like, don't eat anything made from a pig or let our dairy touch our meat and at certain times during the year we eat all Kosher foods," Quinn nodded again, "Well, a lot of people _don't_ know that we don't engage in oral sex..." she trailed off there, probably upon seeing Quinn's eyes widening without her drunk brain's consent.

Realizing what her face was doing, Quinn shook it off and immediately applied some drunken damage control, "That's okay! I mean, there are a lot of other things we can do. I'm sure you know that, you've slept with girls before... not that we've talked about that, but you drank during Never Have I Ever..." Finally, Quinn's brain caught up to her mouth and stopped the nonsense from continuing. That and Rachel had started laughing. "What?" Quinn asked, beyond confused as to what had caused the laughter.

"You," Rachel laughed out, "And your drunk nervous rant."

"Oh thanks," Quinn sighed and let her chin fall to her chest, just as Rachel had done earlier.

Rachel let out one more breathy chuckle, then lifted Quinn's chin, "We also don't really believe there's a Hell. You pretty much follow the rules out of good faith. But sometimes you just have to break the rules..."

"Huh?"

Was Rachel just saying what she thought Rachel was saying?

"Because I've always wanted to..." she looked down with that shy lip bite, "receive _and_ give it," she looked back up, "But there's never been anyone that's made me want to... rebel. Until now."

'_Oh. My. God.'_

Quinn's mouth was dry, the 'getting drunker' feeling was happening and the space between her legs was screaming for help. She wished so hard that she wasn't still drunk. But she was. She could tell by the sporadic double vision and occasional heavy eyelids.

"I wish we weren't drunk," Quinn whispered, pressing their foreheads together.

"I'm fine," Rachel whispered back, "I can't feel it anymore."

Now she _really_ wished she wasn't drunk.

"You're not that bad," Rachel exhaled, "Let's go to our room while we have the house to ourselves."

Quinn sighed, putting more weight onto Rachel's forehead, "We can go back, but I can't..."

"Yes you can," Rachel smiled and rolled her hips slightly, "I want you _so_ bad."

"Oh, believe me, I want you, too. She," Quinn nodded downward, "definitely wants you. But when she's drunk, she doesn't like to work. For anyone."

"Not even you?" Rachel pouted.

"Not even me," Quinn sighed.

"I am so mad at Noah!" Rachel pushed off of Quinn a little and fumed adorably, "I would never do this to him!"

"He just wants to protect you."

'_Wait, why am I defending him?'_

"I don't want his protection tonight! I wanted to make love to my girlfriend tonight, but she's drunk and broken because Noah thinks he can run my sex life!"

Quinn usually hated the phrase 'make love,' but hearing it come out of Rachel's mouth in reference to her did something. It forced that fluttering sensation into her stomach and caused her to breathe somewhat erratically. She couldn't stop her lips from crashing into Rachel's. She caught Rachel off guard making it easy to take charge. She sucked Rachel's bottom lip between her own and licked across it, wasting no time seeking permission come inside. By then, Rachel had joined in and the battle began. After a couple bouts, Quinn moved her mouth lower to Rachel's neck. She did mention that she liked it earlier, right? Quinn's hands moved Rachel's ass, squeezing and pulling her even closer.

The shift caused a moan to fall out of Rachel's mouth into Quinn's ear, further egging Quinn's actions on. The moan motivated her hips to roll underneath Rachel and caused another one to slip out.

"Qu-Quinn, what are you-" Rachel bit down hard on her lip as her eyes closed and she fought to keep another moan in.

"Finishing what we started earlier," Quinn whispered into Rachel's neck and rolled her hips up again, starting a pattern of motion into Rachel.

"But we- fuck," Rachel whispered dropping her face down into Quinn's neck, "Don't stop." Rachel's lips started leaving open mouth kisses on Quinn's neck as she breathed heavily through her nose. Rachel's breath hitched, then with one pull on her as Quinn turn her hips, Rachel's arms tightened around Quinn's back and her teeth bit into Quinn's neck, causing Quinn inhale sharply.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Rachel gasped and turned Quinn's head to look at her neck.

"Rach, it's okay!" Quinn pushed her head back to look at Rachel's worried eyes, "How do _you_ feel?"

She really wanted to know and if she wasn't mistaken, it was her turn in Infinity Questions anyways.

Rachel's worry stayed in her eyes until Quinn shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"I- ohmygodunbelieveble," Rachel breathed out, "I... you... uuuuuuhhhh... I can't even imagine what it's going to be like when you actually touch me."

With her brain reeling from the thought, Quinn still managed to remember, "We have _all_ day tomorrow."

* * *

**A/N: Life. That's my excuse for this taking so long. I was sick, I was a drag king, a little bit of writer's block and simply not having enough time all happened... so, life. Please don't be upset with me. I'm trying. Let me know what you thought? Thanks!**

**2: I'm three weeks behind in Glee and I quit seeking out spoilers... just saying...**


	21. Far From Light and Fluffy

Quinn woke up to two things Monday morning:

1) Rachel gently and intoxicatingly running her fingers through her hair and  
2) A dull roar between her eyes.

"You awake?" Rachel asked gently, pausing her fingers in Quinn's hair.

"Not if it means you're stopping," Quinn sleepily muttered into Rachel's shoulder.

A muted chuckle shook Quinn's head slightly, then the motion in her hair began again. "How are you feeling?" Rachel asked in the same gentle tone as before.

"Aside from the minute ache between my eyes, excellent," Quinn sighed, squeezing her arm tighter around Rachel's waist and nuzzling her cheek and nose into her shoulder. She really felt like she could wake up like this forever... of course that was one of those thoughts that would remain in her head for a while, though.

Rachel laughed a little again, "Just a little headache?"

"I'm sure I'll feel something else when I get up," Quinn shrugged, "But I don't think I'm getting up any time soon."

"What if I wanted to?" Rachel laughed and shifted a little to look at Quinn.

"That sounds like it's your problem," Quinn smiled, snuggling impossibly closer into Rachel, sliding her leg over Rachel's thighs causing at least half of her body to be on top of her.

"If this didn't feel so perfect, I'd probably be a lot more upset," Rachel rubbed her nose against Quinn's forehead then kissed it.

The gesture gave Quinn that swelling sensation in her stomach and with her mouth against Rachel's skin she mumbled, "This _is_ perfect."

"Umm," Rachel hummed out somewhat timidly, "Thank you."

"For what?" Quinn was sure she wasn't thanking her for agreeing with what she had just said.

"For umm..." Rachel nibbled nervously on her lower lip. It made Quinn want to kiss her more than almost anything. Almost because she wanted to know what mystery thing Rachel was thanking her for, "... last night. When you..."

"When I..." for a split second, Quinn was afraid she'd blacked out, but then it hit her, "... oh. You don't have to thank me for that," Quinn smirked slightly, then let her lip slide between her teeth.

Rachel's cheeks turned pink and she failed at trying to hide it. "I know it's a little weird to thank someone for an orgasm," Rachel rolled her eyes as her cheeks darkened a little more, "but I couldn't really thank you the way that I would have wanted to."

Quinn felt Rachel's breathing get a little heavier in perfect time with her own. She looked up and into a pair dilating pupils as she felt her heart begin to slam a much faster pattern into her chest.

And just like that a simple, sweet moment was magically changed into a heavy and heated one.

Their lips crashed together and hands moved to whatever they could find. With her surprising strength, Rachel pushed Quinn onto her back, landing in between her legs.

"Pushing the beds together was such a good idea," Rachel husked into Quinn's ear as she turned her hips into her center.

"Mhmmm," Quinn hummed and moaned at the same time. And then she felt it: a wave of hangover nausea. "Rach," she half moaned, half panicked as Rachel rolled into her once again.

"Do you like it when I do that?" Rachel husked into her ear.

She did. She liked the way that Rachel was talking to her even more, but the nausea was little bit more than a wave...

"I do," Quinn moaned again then swallowed hard, "But Rach-"

"A little more than a headache?" Rachel had lifted herself up into a push-up position over Quinn so she could see her face.

Quinn nodded and felt her face turn red.

"I'm going to kill Noah," Rachel sighed as she fell over to the other bed to allow Quinn to get up.

With absolute mortification brewing in her head, Quinn quickly got up and rushed to the bathroom. She wasn't entirely sure that she actually had to throw up, but that didn't stop her from wanting to leave the room. Who gets nauseous when her girlfriend is trying to get her off? As she sat on the toilet seat cover, she thought that maybe they really were doomed to never have sex.

There was a light knock on the door, then, "Quinn. Are you okay?"

"I don't know," Quinn mumbled as she stared at the tiling on the floor. She had her fingers weaved into her hair and her elbows on her knees. She heard the doorknob turn and looked up just in time to see Rachel sneaking in through the door. Immediately, she felt her face heat up and she snapped her gaze back to the tile.

"Did you vomit?" Rachel asked after she was settled on the counter next to the sink.

"No," Quinn laughed at the half joking, half disgusted sound in Rachel's voice.

"Just feeling a little nausea at the most inopportune moment?" Rachel asked with a clear smile in her tone as she poked Quinn's thigh with her toe.

Quinn let out a frustrated growl and kept her eyes trained on the floor, "Why does this keep happening?"

"What? Things stopping us? Nothing stopped us last night," Rachel said, poking Quinn's thigh yet again.

"Luckily," Quinn laughed and shook her head between her hands, "We were on the porch! Anyone could have walked out there!"

"But no one did-"

"I know, but with the way things started out today, it seems like that was a fluke and now things are back to normal," Quinn looked up briefly as she huffed out her words.

"No way!" Rachel slid off the counter and sat down in front of Quinn on the floor, "Last night, Noah decided to sabotage our night. He knows that I have a hard time with peer pressure because now that I'm an adult, I actually want people to like me. I didn't really care that much when I was younger. Kurt told me when we were leaving, that before we got there, Noah told the girls to get me to drink."

"Seriously?" Quinn quirked up her eyebrow in disbelief.

"Yeah," Rachel's brow furrowed and she began chewing the corner of her lip. She looked down to the tile shaking her head, "And I think I know why."

With a flashback to the night before, Quinn suddenly remembered why as well, but were they the same reasons? Rachel's head was still down and Quinn couldn't see her facial expression to even begin to guess what she was thinking.

"I never should have said anything to him," Rachel mumbled to the tile.

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked as she sat in the dark. The question Puck had told her to ask popped into her head. Right now wasn't the best time. Although, what time would ever be the right time to ask Rachel why Puck had warned her not to "fuck her and leave her?"

Quinn waited and watched as Rachel nervously fiddled with her fingers, every so often bringing one to her mouth to nibble at something.

Rachel's head popped up, startling Quinn just a little. "How are you feeling?" she asked then nibbled on the corner of her lips.

Was she really changing the subject? "I'm fine, Rach. How are _you_ feeling?" Quinn asked, hiding her agitation. She really had no right to be feeling any at all, not with the way she'd been acting. Rachel was always patient with her, she should do the same.

"Think you're up for a walk? I think I could really use some fresh air," Rachel went right back to chewing on the corner of her lip.

Whatever this was, it was far from light and fluffy and although Quinn didn't know exactly what was running through Rachel's mind, there was clearly a lot going on. "A walk sounds great," Quinn answered gently, then extended her hands forward to help Rachel off of the floor.

Rachel looked right passed them and got up on her own, turning quickly out of the bathroom saying, "I have to put real clothes on."

Quinn wasn't really sure what to do. She'd never seen Rachel like this. Of course they hadn't been together for all that long and there was always a first time for everything. She didn't know what to do, but for once, she wasn't worried about it. She was worried, but it was more for Rachel than herself.

By the time Quinn got into the room, Rachel had already changed her shirt and put shorts on. Sensing the rush to leave the house, Quinn did the same as quickly as she could, deciding that whatever was on the floor on her side of the room was perfectly fine for a mere walk. Rachel was already waiting by the door by the time Quinn slipped her sneakers that she never untied because she couldn't stand wearing tight shoes in the first place.

"Do you ever tie your shoes?" Rachel asked as she led Quinn down the stairs.

"Only when they come _un_tied," Quinn laughed a little as she followed Rachel down. By now she'd only mustered up one plan: Let Rachel say what she wanted, when she wanted.

They made it out the front door without any hold ups. Everyone else was probably still in bed. Today was their first day off in nearly two weeks, of course they were taking advantage. There also wasn't a peep between them until they hit the circular pavement of the cul-de-sac and that was simply a yawn from Quinn. When they reached the end of their street Rachel cleared her throat. Quinn looked up and over to her immediately, letting her know that she had all of her attention.

"What did Noah say to you?" Rachel asked softly and with a fragility that Quinn had never heard before.

She wasn't expecting to be asked a question and now she wasn't sure what she should share. She remembered everything that Puck had said to her, but she was positive that he didn't want her to inform Rachel of everything he'd said.

"This is between us, I'm not going to say anything to him," Rachel looked up from watching her feet hit the sidewalk. Clearly Quinn had been taking too long to answer.

"He said that you're special," Quinn smiled then took a deep breath, looking back towards the houses for good measure, "And that he hates seeing you hurt. Then he said that you're tough, but good at hiding things despite how much you talk." Quinn paused for a moment to gauge Rachel's reaction. A light chuckle left Rachel's nose and Quinn took that as it being safe to continue. "Then he told me that I'll be fucked if I hurt you and then... he said... umm..." Quinn's nerves let the sentence fall away.

"He said what, Quinn?" that fragility was back in Rachel's voice and it was just a little bit more than Quinn could take.

Quinn winced as she prepared herself to say exactly what Puck had said to her as he was leaving the basement. Her facial expression remained as she exhaled, "He told me not to umm..." she swallowed hard then, "fuck you and leave you."

"Mhm," Rachel hummed lowly, then went completely silent.

Quinn was expecting words. Rachel always used her words. All of sudden there was complete weight to what Puck had told her. Once again, Quinn didn't know what to do except keep her only plan in action, which meant that things could be silent for a long time.

And they were.

Neither of them said anything until they'd reached the lake, a mile and a half away from Quinn telling her what Puck had said. Even when they got there, things remained silent several minutes after they'd settled at a familiar picnic table on benches across from each other.

"Have you slept with a lot of people?" Rachel asked out of nowhere.

"Uhh...?" Quinn's mouth hung open with unpreparedness for such a question.

"I'm sorry," Rachel shook her head, "I'm not... it doesn't matter... I'm not going to judge you or get irrationally jealous... I just..." she looked down to the table and shook her head, "I'm... curious."

"How much is a lot?" Quinn asked nervously, despite Rachel telling her that she wasn't going to judge.

"Well, a girl that I graduated with told me one drunken night that she'd been with over a hundred girls and that was in our junior year. I _know_ that she slept with more during our senior year," Rachel said with a completely serious expression.

Quinn suddenly didn't feel _so_ bad about her number, "Fourteen," she gulped down the lump that had formed in her throat. And then the nervous rant started, "Two of them were in high school, both guys and then the rest, all but one of them were one night stands and mostly girls, because well, there's a little less of a risk and if I'm being honest, I like sleeping with girls a little more than guys and then I met Becca in the spring semester of my sophomore year... and too much."

Rachel shook her head and smiled, "Not too much, unless you really don't want to tell me. I said I wouldn't get irrationally jealous."

How did this suddenly become about Quinn?

She quirked up her eyebrow and looked right at Rachel, "I think you're avoiding something and I'm not going to force you to tell me, but changing the subject to me isn't going to help you right now."

"Maybe it will? It's my turn in Infinity Questions." Rachel said thickly, as if there were tears being held back in her throat.

Quinn shifted on the bench and rested her cheek on her palm. Talking about her ex-girlfriend wasn't really in her plans for the day... or any day for that matter. But if Rachel wanted to hear it and it was going to help, perhaps she could look past her apprehension.

"Would you like the detailed version or a simple one?" Quinn asked hoping that Rachel would choose the latter.

"Whichever you're more comfortable with," Rachel said in a much clearer tone than previously and with somewhat of a smile. It seemed like this was already helping.

"Becca worked in the library and for some reason I had a million research papers to do that semester so I found myself there all the time. I was walking through the stacks, flipping through a book and I crashed right into her cart, knocking it over and all of the books all over the floor. Clearly, I was mortified and then when I saw the girl that was pushing the cart, things just got worse," Quinn laughed at herself remembering the moment exactly.

"Except that you started dating her, so things couldn't have gotten that much worse," Rachel smiled.

"But they did," Quinn laughed again, "I was pretty flustered between the embarrassment and being extremely attracted to her so I wasn't really paying attention as I was helping her pick up the books and our heads bumped. I know, it's actually really cute, but at the time it was awful... until she gave me her phone number and told me that I owed her dinner."

"That was pretty forward," Rachel commented briefly.

"I liked it. She didn't hesitate or care if I was gay or not, she just did it. She was my first girlfriend and I really fell for her," Quinn sighed and shook her head, "I wish that I saw... no, I can't say that. I don't regret the year that I spent with her. I learned a lot. Hindsight is twenty/twenty and it's easy to see all of the things that I should have seen, but I was in love... and lust and I was completely blinded. And then I was blindsided. She's a year older than me and she just told me that she got a job in Western Mass and that she was leaving and that she didn't want to try long distance and it was over." Quinn looked up from the table top that she'd been staring at and took in Rachel's sad smile. Rachel was immeasurably better than Becca. The butterflies that she was getting just from looking at her were proof enough.

"You were right when you said 'girls' last night. It's only two, so it's barely pluralized, but yes, girls... and one guy..." Rachel squinted and corrected herself, "boy."

"The high school boyfriend?" Quinn asked, happy to no longer be talking about her own past. Although, it really wasn't as terrible as she'd thought it would be.

"Yes," Rachel nodded, "I loved him and he was my best friend, but it still took me a year and a half to be ready to sleep with him. I don't think that I was really ready when I decided that I wanted to do it, but I was tired of being a prude. It sucked," Rachel rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Most people's first times do," Quinn assured her with a smile. Hers did, but she _really _didn't want to discuss that.

"I know, but it's supposed to get better. It didn't. I didn't like it and now I know that it had nothing to do with him because he was always really romantic and gentle and he cared about how _I _felt. It just never felt _right_, but I kept letting him because I loved him and he was my best friend," she chewed on her lip for a moment in thought, "I told you about the coffee shop incident. Well, after that I was curious, naturally. I tagged along with Noah to a party one night and I had a few drinks. I know that I was drunk, but simply making out with a girl was better than having sex with my ex-boyfriend. After that, I only seemed to notice girls."

"That's why you were turning down all the guys..." Quinn just sort of let that fall out. They'd never really talked about Rachel's "sexual orientation" before. It wasn't really that important. They were into each other, why ask about unnecessary things like sexuality?

"I don't want one," Rachel shrugged with one shoulder, "It's amazing how quickly I figured it out. As soon as it was in my head, things just clicked. I barely needed the proof that I'd gotten at that party, I just knew. _But_ my freshman year, I dove head first into my school work. A relationship would be a distraction and it wasn't something I was looking for."

"Understandable," Quinn nodded and smiled.

"Sophomore year," Rachel said in a way that acknowledged a similarity in their stories, "I met Kat. Well, I'd met her before, but the circumstances didn't allow us to really talk. She was the TA in my Speech class," a slight blush rose in her cheeks, "I know, how cliché. But she was just _so_ cool and into me. I know, you shouldn't fall for someone just because they're into you, but that wasn't it. I was _really_ attracted to her. That first time we met, I distinctly remember thinking about what it would be like to sleep with her. We'd flirt during class, somewhat obviously, too. I thought she was just playing along, but then after class one day, she asked me out," Rachel laughed humorlessly, "Kat, now there's someone who's too charming for her own good. She _always_ had the right thing to say, always moved just the right way... she just did everything right, too right. I told her that this was new for me and that it might take me a while to be ready for a sexual relationship and she said, 'I can wait, just being near you is enough.' Of course that made me swoon all over the place for her. Still, I waited two months. I think it was merely principle that was stopping me because we'd start making out and it would be so hard for me to tell her I needed to stop. By the time that moment came that I didn't want to stop, I was absolutely head over heels for her," she paused for a couple seconds, taking a deep breath, "That one time with her was better than every single time with my ex-boyfriend."

"One time?" Quinn asked knowing where this story was going, but still hoping that it wasn't true.

"Kat knew that she was my first girlfriend and she knew that I'd never slept with a girl before. I think somehow she knew that before she asked me out. I'm also positive that she knew once I gave in and slept with her, she was never going to willingly speak to me again. Class was torture. She acted like the previous two months had never happened and that she was just my TA. Luckily, it was only two weeks..."

"Rach, I'm sorry..."

"You didn't do anything. Don't be sorry. Like you said, hindsight is twenty/twenty and I've learned from it. Like, that there is such a thing as too good to be true and that I have to be a little jaded in order to be successful. I also learned that random hook-ups aren't my thing," Rachel laughed and smiled one of her gorgeous smiles.

"Girl number two?" Quinn asked, definitely curious.

"Noah gave me a brownie," Rachel shook her head and smiled a closed lipped smile, "I loved everything and everyone for a couple hours. That girl that I told you about that had slept with over a hundred girls, I'm one of them."

"Ooooh, Rach..."

"I mean, I can see how she got so much ass, she's really good. She got mad when I wouldn't let her go down on me, but she was really good with her hands..."

"Okay! I never promised I wouldn't get irrationally jealous!" Quinn nearly shouted, needing Rachel to stop talking about her sexual experiences. It really just made her want to be having sex with Rachel right that second.

"Sorry," Rachel blushed and shrunk into herself a little.

Quinn nodded and did her best to shake the jealousy she was feeling. She was mostly just jealous that they'd gotten to do something so special with Rachel that she hadn't yet and from what she'd heard, she certainly cared a lot more about Rachel than they had.

"I'm not going anywhere," she breathed out into the silence that had fallen between them.

The corner of Rachel's lips curled up, "I know. And I know we talked about after this summer, but it still makes me nervous. It's not going to go away. Not until we're there and working at it."

"Okay," Quinn nodded.

"I told Noah about that fear and clearly he thought that he was Freud and made it about sex," Rachel sighed and rested her chin into her palm, "I also told him that you're different. You say the right things all the time, but there isn't an ulterior motive. You actually seem a little surprised after you've said it, like, you can't believe you let one of your thoughts out. It's so cute. And oddly enough, I really love how hesitant you are. It's strangely reassuring. Hence, me getting upset when you just sprang that 'I love you' on me."

"Not sorry," Quinn smiled and reached her hand across the table to hold Rachel's.

"You shouldn't be," Rachel said looking at their hands then looked back up, "I like the way that things are going. This feels good."

"It does and it feels different," Quinn had been thinking this since she spoke about Becca and she thought that Rachel should hear it, "A good different. Actually, it's kind of a scary different, but I'm not afraid. It's hard to explain. I mean, I've never felt like this so I don't have anything to go off of really, but I want it all to happen. I hate to compare you, but you are so much better than Becca. What I felt for her over a year feels like a joke compared to the past six weeks with you."

"And I'm sure you had sex with her," Rachel joked, but the point she was making didn't go unnoticed.

"Mhm," it was good sex, too, but that didn't have to go said, "Sex isn't everything-"

"But it's nice," Rachel said with an adorable whimsical tone.

"It is..." Quinn breathed out heavily as she felt Rachel's fingertips dance along her palm and her own calf brush against Rachel's.

"It can definitely enhance a relationship..."

"Perhaps we should head back?" Quinn suggested as she lustily looked into Rachel's eyes.

Suddenly Rachel looked like she forgot something, "Shit!" and sounded like she'd forgotten something.

"What?"

Something else to prevent them.

"I told Noah I'd go to the gym with him," she sighed and let her head fall onto her hand on the table.

"Cancel?"

He owed her.

"It's against the rules. Unless someone is dying or dead, no cancels," Rachel never picked up her head.

"Fine," Quinn huffed and started to get up off of the bench, "But when you get back, prepare for your pants to be wooed off."

"It's all I'll be thinking about."

* * *

**A/N: As per usual, I'm doing my best. Hope you enjoyed this update. Of course I love hearing from you.**


	22. Team You and Me

Life's a struggle.

Even on your day off that struggle is totally real.

No pants were wooed off when Rachel returned from the gym Monday evening because Quinn started sneezing out of nowhere Monday afternoon and by the time Rachel returned, she was a coughing, drippy mess.

Rachel made it clear that she felt awful that Quinn was sick, but she also made it clear that she wasn't going to touch her with a ten foot pole. She even went so far as to move the beds back to their original positions. Quinn got it. Rachel couldn't get sick. No one in the house could get sick. Quinn couldn't even get sick, but there she was with a summer cold and her girlfriend didn't want to be near her. She could take care of herself, but a hug would be nice.

"Bless you," Rachel said after Quinn sneezed then sprayed the air with Lysol.

"If I sanitize my hands and hold my breath, can I have just one hug?" Quinn tried her best not to whine, but with her stuffy nose it came out that way nevertheless.

Rachel sighed and shook her head, "Even when you're mildly disgusting, you're irresistible. Okay, but if I get sick, Quinn... I don't know... I'll be mad. Not at you because it's not really your fault I can't resist you... except that it is."

"Oh this is awful. You're so cute and I just want to cuddle with you," Quinn whined again.

"I want to take care of you-"

"I know. I don't want you to get sick, it's okay," Quinn mumbled into her pillow.

"Can you sit up, sweetie?" Rachel asked as she walked closer to Quinn's bed.

"Sweetie, huh?" Quinn mused as she slowly sat up, feeling a little woozy and just a little delirious.

"You don't like it? Here," Rachel tossed Quinn a mini bottle of hand sanitizer.

"It's nice," Quinn said through her stuffy nose, then sniffled as she squirted the sanitizer into her hands. It was nice. It was simple and it just came out.

"Okay," Rachel smiled, "I'm going to hug you now."

Quinn laughed, then closed her mouth to stop breathing. Her nose wasn't working properly at all so really that's all she had to do. Once Rachel's arms were around her though, she melted into her and exhaled.

"Quinn!"

She didn't respond, she just closed her mouth back up and tightened her grip around Rachel.

"You're really warm," Rachel sounded quite concerned about the matter.

"But I feel really cold-"

"That's pretty consistent with a fever," Rachel said pushing Quinn back and looking at her, "Can I kiss your forehead?"

"Of course you can!" Quinn closed her eyes and waited happily for Rachel's lips to meet her skin.

"Oh..." Rachel's worry remained after her lips left Quinn's forehead, then as if to double check, she kissed it again, "Wow. You are on fire. You can't stay under these," she said as she took Quinn's blankets from her.

"But I'm freezing!" Quinn whined and shivered as she unsuccessfully attempted to prevent Rachel from taking the covers.

"No, you're really hot-"

"I know you are, but what am I?" Quinn singsonged out of her delirium, then realized how she'd just responded to Rachel telling her she had a fever, "There's something wrong isn't there?"

"Yes there is, honey, and you can't make yourself any warmer. I'm going to put these in the wash," she dropped the blankets on the floor then went digging in one of her dresser drawers. When she found what she was looking for she dropped two blue pills into her hand, then walked over to Quinn, "Take these."

"What are they?" Quinn looked at the pills in Rachel's hand skeptically.

"I love you and you need to sleep," Rachel kissed Quinn's forehead again then forced the pills into her hand.

Advil PM

The pills introduced themselves to her.

"You could have said what they were," Quinn scrunched up her face as she took a bottle of water from Rachel, "It's not like you handed me Valium."

"I would have told you if I was handing you Valium," Rachel deadpanned as she picked up the blankets, "Please take them and lie back down. I'll be right back."

"Mmmkay," Quinn hummed out, then threw back the pills with a swig of water. "I love you, too," she responded to Rachel's earlier sentiment as she lied back, snuggling around her pillow, imagining it was Rachel. Every so often a shiver would shake her and she wished that Rachel hadn't stolen her blankets.

~~{}~~

The next time Quinn's eyes were open, the sun was shining brightly through the window over her bed and she was wrapped up in her comforter. She could have sworn the last thing she saw was Rachel leaving her room with the exact same comforter and her flat sheet. Or was the last thing she saw a bunch of colorful lights with Rachel pressed up against her... wait, that never happened before, had it? There was no way that last thing she saw was Santana and Brittany in their Cheerios uniforms telling her that they were late for Nationals.

"You're awake!" an excited voice exclaimed from across the room.

"Uhh..." Quinn looked around, still disoriented, "Where's Rachel?"

"She's staying with Charlie for a couple nights," Jean said as she got up from a chair that Quinn knew was never in her room before.

That was not a very nice answer, "But I want to see her."

"I know," Jean answered extending her hand forward to feel Quinn's forehead, "Your fever's gone."

Suddenly it smacked her in the face that it wasn't Monday anymore, "Oh my god! What time is it?"

"It's only noon," Jean grabbed hold of Quinn's shoulders, then pushed her back down, "You aren't leaving this room today."

"Hold on," Quinn tried to sit back up to no avail, "Are you quarantining me?"

"At least until tomorrow-"

"What? Who's going to call the show?" Quinn was starting to panic. How could she have gotten sick? She never got sick! And here she was, quarantined in the middle of the most important job of her career thus far.

"Charlie is quite competent and it's just one night of _As You Like It_, it's much less complicated than the musical," Jean assured her in a calm and soothing tone.

While both of those things were true, it didn't mean that Quinn was satisfied, "I can't stay here by myself for that long!"

"You have to," Jean replied somewhat forcefully, turned around and retrieved something underneath the chair she was sitting in previously, "Here."

"I'm not taking that-"

"I'm not telling you that you have to, but your nose is still completely stuffed and it's only a matter of minutes before you start coughing again," Jean said holding out the NyQuil for Quinn to take from her, "There are some DayQuil pills, too," she pointed to her dresser, "You're going to get bored. There's only so much the internet can provide. You might as well sleep."

"I feel okay, I could totally work-"

"You're not getting everyone else sick, Quinn," Jean tossed the NyQuil onto a spot on the bed where one of Quinn's body parts wasn't located, "It's okay. You're human and human's get sick. I'd much rather you take a break and get better than overwork yourself and let this linger."

"You're an awesome boss," Quinn acknowledged as she propped her head up on her hand.

"Thank you. I really appreciate that," Jean smiled, "I have to go, but can I get you anything before I do?"

She thought about it for a moment, then merely answered, "Just my laptop. It's in my bag."

Jean walked over to Quinn's dresser where her messenger bag was propped up and dug out the silver MacBook. "Here you go. Get some more rest. We'll see how you're doing tomorrow and hopefully Rachel can be back in here tomorrow night... after we sanitize some things."

"Okay," Quinn laughed lightly as she slowly sat herself up.

"I'll be back tomorrow morning," Jean said at the door then left, quietly closing it behind her.

Once the door was closed, Quinn's eyes started darting between her laptop and the NyQuil. She was going to be stuck in the room by herself for an undetermined amount of time. With privacy guaranteed, she decided this was perfect opportunity to remedy some of her frustration. It wasn't going to be enough, but it was something. And why not make a game out of it? She found something entirely inappropriate on the internet, let it do it's job, then took a huge, probably overdosage of the red, sleep inducing, cold and flu medication.

Before Quinn fell into her over-the-counter induced slumber, she'd imagined her own hand was Rachel's for four separate goes.

~~{}~~

'_What the fuck is that?'_ Quinn thought as she heard a buzzing coming from somewhere close to her. She propped her head up a little and saw her phone vibrating on the table that had been returned to its position between hers and Rachel's beds.

**FaceTime Call  
****Cha Cha**

Quinn fumbled to reach her phone, having to pull on the charging cord, then catch it. She couldn't have been more excited for some sort of human interaction, even if it was digitally. It seemed like forever waiting for the connection to go through, but finally on her little screen, there were Rachel and Charlie smiling huge smiles at her and basically screaming, "HI!"

"Oh my god, people! And people I love!"

"Hi, Q!" she heard Santana's voice, then saw her and Brittany trying to squish into the picture with Rachel and Charlie.

"And my best friends! This sucks! I'm going insane in here!"

"Well, just a warning: Jean's on her way over there and she's probably going to tell you that you're stuck in there until tomorrow," Charlie broke the news to her not-so-gently.

"But I'm fine!" Quinn even said the word fine without it sounding like find.

"You look better, too, sweetie," Rachel beamed and Quinn melted a little.

"Ooo sweetie," Santana teased and Brittany smacked her shoulder.

Quinn rolled her eyes, then remembered, "Oh, hey, how did the show go last night?" she asked, still disappointed that she wasn't allowed to work it.

"Great! I'm no you, but I did the best I could," Cha Cha shrugged.

"And you'll be great today, too. For both shows," Quinn assured him, knowing that Jean was coming to tell her that she was still trapped.

"Thanks, boss," Charlie smiled.

"Eh, you're kinda the man," Quinn shrugged, then laughed.

"Um, guys," Rachel looked at everyone timidly, "could I maybe talk to Quinn for a little? Privately?"

"Yes," Brittany answered for everyone and dragged Santana and Charlie away, out the door that could be seen in the camera.

"Bye, Q!"

"Feel better!"

Rachel waited until the door was closed to sigh and say, "I miss you and I wanted to tell you that I'm having a hard time sleeping without you."

"I miss you, too, beautiful," Quinn sighed through the swelling in her chest.

"I know you've been sleeping fine without me, Jean told me that she gave you NyQuil," Rachel laughed her gorgeous laugh.

"Yeah," Quinn felt her face flush for some reason... probably because she remembered what she'd done the day before, "I've been thinking about you, though."

Rachel nibbled on her lower lip then released it, "Yeah?"

"Mhm," Quinn hummed, then heard a knock on her door, "I guess I have to go."

"It's okay, so do I. Call," Rachel sighed.

"I love you, break a leg today," Quinn said softly then kissed the tips of her fingers and pressed them to her screen.

"I love you, too," Rachel said and repeated the motions Quinn had made.

Another knock, "Just a sec!" Quinn called out, then looked back down to her phone, "See ya."

"I wish it were sooner than tomorrow," Rachel sighed.

"So do I," Quinn responded then waved goodbye to her beautiful girlfriend who was waving right back, "I have to press end now."

"I know," Rachel smiled with her lip between her teeth. The screen froze like that for a few seconds, then went back to her home screen.

"Come in," she called out and waited for Jean to enter, "I know: tomorrow."

"I just want to be careful," Jean gave Quinn an apologetic half smile, "Santana told me you'd like this." She held out a brown and green paper bag and handed it to Quinn.

"Is this baked potato soup?" Quinn could feel her eyes bugging out of her face for her favorite soup possibly being in the bag.

"It is-"

"Aaah! Thank you!" she really had Santana to thank, but Jean bought it for her.

"Rachel told me that you love Mexican, but that's pretty broad. Is there something specific-"

"Chicken tacos. Hard shell with black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, jalepeños and sour cream," Quinn rattled off what she wanted quickly and through a huge, excited smile. Rachel was the best for putting that idea into Jean's head. Actually, Rachel was the best anyways.

"Okay. I'll be back in between the shows," Jean took a step back in preparation to turn around, "You look much better. You sound better, too. Everything can be back to normal tomorrow."

"Promise?" Quinn asked with as much hope as she put into her face.

"Promise."

~~{}~~

At 10:57 PM, Wednesday night, Quinn concluded that a lack of Rachel in bed with her, made it difficult for her to sleep. She had decided against the NyQuil, feeling that her symptoms had subsided enough that the regular cold medicine would suffice. Things would have been fine, except that she was missing her usual sleep aid; one that she didn't realize she needed until this night.

Unfortunately, taking the NyQuil was out of the question. Well, it wasn't actually, but Quinn wasn't really into overmedicating herself. Rachel wasn't allowed back until the room was cleaned, so that was also out of the question. Her only option was to wait it out until either she fell asleep or this current dosage wore out, whichever came first.

She grabbed her phone and started scrolling through her Facebook app, reading about what her friends from Emerson were doing with their time before they really had to start life. Because the air conditioner was on, she didn't hear the doorknob turn, but beyond her phone's screen she saw the light creep in slowly from the hallway. Her immediate reaction was to lock her phone, let it and her hand fall to her chest and fake sleep.

'_Who the hell is that?'_ Quinn wondered anxiously. It really could have been anyone. The show was done at 10:30 and it only took a few minutes for most of the cast to get out of costume and make-up.

She opened one of her eyes quickly, scanned the room and found no one, just a glow coming from Rachel's closet. That still didn't confirm anything. The light moved and Quinn snapped her eye shut again.

"Shit," she heard a whisper over the A/C, then she heard a rattle coming from the right of her bed. As little as possible, she opened her right eye and looked over to the table. There was Rachel standing over the table with a flashlight between her lips, attempting to move it.

She'd snuck back.

It took everything in Quinn not to jump up out of bed and wrap her arms around Rachel. She felt like that would ruin whatever Rachel was trying to do. So she waited. She waited until the table was moved and Rachel's bed was pushed up to hers. She waited until she felt her covers being shifted, her phone being lifted gently out of her hand and her arm suddenly being wrapped around a pair of shoulders. She waited until she felt a pair of lips find her cheek to finally say, "Hi."

"You're awake!" Rachel stage whispered and pecked Quinn's cheek again.

"Very. Turns out I can't sleep very well without you either," Quinn smiled and kissed Rachel's forehead, "Not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing here?"

"I made Charlie bring me," Rachel snaked her hand into Quinn's shirt, bringing her finger tips just underneath her breasts, causing Quinn's breath to hitch, "He's always been team you and me so he didn't argue."

"He's pretty great," Quinn laughed, a little out of humor and a little out of nerves. Why was she nervous? "I guess now we won't have trouble sleeping."

"I guess not," Rachel just said loud enough that she could be heard over the A/C that really wasn't even that loud at all.

"Good night," Quinn said through ever growing nerves. What was there to be nervous about? They were going to sleep. They couldn't even kiss because what if Quinn was still contagious? Rachel couldn't risk that. It was bad enough that they were sharing breathing space.

Rachel shifted a little, then Quinn felt lips on her neck. She let out a sharp exhale, then, "Rach-" Rachel's lips just kept moving on her neck and Quinn's breath kept getting shallower, "Rach, what if-"

Rachel sat up with her hand still in Quinn's shirt, "I've had enough Vitamin C, that my immune system could probably fight off the bubonic plague. You can't stop me."

Quinn suddenly realized why she was nervous.

It was happening and there was nothing to stop them.

Quinn sat up and looked into Rachel's eyes, the moon reflecting in her pupils that had taken over their usual beautiful brown irises. She watched them dart around her face, landing on her lips. Quinn's eyes went down to Rachel's lips and she leaned right into the magnetic pull that they contained. Their lips met and a sharp inhale went through Quinn's finally clear nose.

Rachel's hand slid from Quinn's front to her back, her thumb just grazing Quinn's breast. Just that simple touch to a place that Rachel hadn't touched before sent Quinn reeling. Her tongue reacted with more forceful strokes against Rachel's and even with the air conditioning on and very few articles of clothing, she was feeling warmer and warmer. Without breaking the kiss or moving her hand Quinn's back, Rachel lifted herself and straddled Quinn's legs. Suddenly it was quite hot.

"You're really warm," Rachel whispered, pressing her forehead to Quinn's then kissing down her cheek to her neck.

"I know," Quinn exhaled heavily.

"Would taking this off help?" Rachel asked as she slowly lifted Quinn's t-shirt even higher than it already was.

"Definitely," Quinn breathed and it was barely out before Rachel was lifting the shirt over her head and tossing it away.

Then she was staring.

With anyone else, such an action had made Quinn somewhat uncomfortable. Not with Rachel. She was staring with what looked like awe as her jaw hung somewhat slack and her eyes smiled. Quinn actually felt beautiful, she didn't even need to hear Rachel say, "God, you're perfect."

Since her shirt came off, Quinn's hands had been resting on Rachel's thighs. Slowly she inched then up, skimming quickly over her underwear to the hem of her tank top. She leaned in and kissed Rachel's lips, asking for permission with the kiss and a tug at the hem. Rachel nodded, her nose rubbing against Quinn's. With her anticipation making her breathing even heavier, Quinn slowly lifted Rachel's tank top off. She found herself staring just the same. Then she felt overcome with the need to taste the skin in front of her. With nothing to stop her, she did just that. She kissed Rachel's chest, then made her way down, listening to Rachel's breathing pattern change. She made it to the top of one of Rachel's breasts and looked up. Rachel was watching her with her lip wedged between her teeth and sheer want in her eyes. Quinn suddenly remembered she had hands and while her lips made their way to one nipple, her hand made its way up to the other, skimming over Rachel's perfect stomach. She took in a breath then stuck out her tongue, flicking at her nipple. A tiny moan left Rachel's throat and a slightly bigger one came after Quinn began rolling her other nipple between her fingers.

"Fuck, you're so good at this," Rachel moaned as Quinn sucked her nipple between her lips.

"Well," Quinn mused as her lips hovered over Rachel's other nipple, "They looked so good," she licked over the nub, "I just had to taste." She sucked the nipple into her mouth and Rachel groaned her pleasure.

Quinn merely detached her lips for a second and Rachel pushed her back to her back, "Don't think you get to have all the fun."

The pouty/smirk.

That was going to get Quinn to do anything. Not that lying down and letting Rachel do what she wanted was difficult to allow to happen. It wasn't difficult at all. Actually, it was heaven. The light touches of her fingers and the deliberateness of her lips were actually sending Quinn close to the edge. She was so aroused that one little shift of her hips and she just... Rachel moved... both of them...

"Rachel," Quinn moaned out as she grabbed hold of the sheets at her sides.

"Did you just..." Rachel looked up from Quinn's breasts that she was paying fantastic attention to. Quinn nodded as she came down from the high, "I missed it?"

"It just... happened."

"Well, I guess it'll just have to _happen_ again," Rachel smirked and began to lean back down.

"Uh uh," Quinn flipped Rachel onto her back onto the other bed, "you first."

"Well, technically I'm secomm-"

Rachel's "technically" was swallowed by Quinn's lips. She kept kissing Rachel until she was sure she wasn't going to continue with unnecessary technicalities, then kissed up to her ear. "Tell me what you want," she husked.

"What?" Rachel inhaled deeply and tried to look into Quinn's eyes.

"I want you to tell me what to do," Quinn breathed into Rachel's neck, then started leaving wet kisses up and down it.

"Don't you-"

"I know what to do," Quinn looked up at Rachel and felt her heart start pounding just a little faster. She was about to confess something that she _really_ liked. It might have been a kink, but if it was, it was a mild one, "But I want you to _tell_ me what to do."

"Like, tell you to... kiss my neck?" Rachel looked a little hesitant.

"Mhm," Quinn hummed as she did what she was told.

"And suck on my collar bone," she sounded just a tiny bit more confident.

"Perfect," Quinn husked, just before following her orders.

"Kiss all the way down to my hips and touch whatever you want with your hands," Rachel said with complete confidence, finding the loophole in Quinn's request, "And don't be afraid to use your tongue."

Hearing the words come out of Rachel's mouth was almost too much. She could tell that the underwear that she was still wearing was completely done for. As she did what Rachel wanted her to do, she almost couldn't breathe. Her skin tasted amazing and the sounds she made were completely intoxicating. Then she reached Rachel's hips. Her breath hitched and her stomach filled with nerves.

_This_ was it.

Still following Rachel's instructions, her hands touched what she wanted and the tips of her index fingers dipped daringly under the waistband.

"Take them off," Rachel whispered through labored breath. Quinn swallowed hard as she tugged off the dark colored fabric that was covering the last bit of Rachel's body. Once again she found herself staring. "Umm... will you-"

"No asking," Quinn shook her head still looking down at the V between Rachel's legs, "_Tell_ me."

"Fuck!" Rachel groaned and wrapped her legs around Quinn, pulling her down, "I want you inside of me. Now!"

"That was perfect," Quinn said with what little breath she was left with after that.

"I'll keep that in mind for the futuremmm..." Quinn's fingers found Rachel's clit before she finished her sentence, "Lower."

Quinn was happy to oblige the request, but not before she teased Rachel a little bit. Rachel might have been making the requests but she still had some control over what was happening. She continued making circles, dipping her middle and ring finger a little lower with each pass and watching Rachel's face with each movement. A soft hum was heard each time Quinn's fingers met with her clit. Once her fingers had reached Rachel's entrance, Quinn hovered there for a moment, teasing at the nerves there. Just as she was about press forward, Rachel's eyes opened and she whispered, "Wait."

Quinn's nerves returned. Was something wrong? She knew Rachel wasn't super experienced when it came to sex with women, but she'd slept with a guy before...

"Take these off," Rachel was reaching for Quinn's underwear, "And put this here," she pointed to Quinn's left knee then to the space on the bed next to her hip, "I want to touch you, too."

She released the breath she was holding and shook off her anxiety.

"And stop thinking so much," Rachel smiled as she sat up to assist with the removal of the last piece of clothing between them.

"Once you touch me I'm sure that won't be very difficult," Quinn said breathily into Rachel's lips as she kicked her underwear away.

"I know the feeling," Rachel whispered between soft kisses.

"You locked the door right?" Quinn asked before that moment happened.

"Nothing is stopping us," Rachel husked and brought their lips back together. As their tongues languidly danced together, Quinn moved her leg to where Rachel requested so that she was straddling Rachel's thigh.

Lightly, she began moving her finger tips along Rachel's length. She could feel Rachel's breathing change against her skin as they continued kissing. Her own breath hitched when she felt Rachel's fingers doing something similar to her. And just like she'd predicted, it became quite difficult to think. For a moment she even forgot what _she_ was doing, until she felt Rachel smile into her lips. Rachel laughed lightly, then pulled Quinn down with her causing their torsos to be completely flush together. Another moment of it being difficult to think occurred. Her fingers stopped this time just at Rachel's entrance.

"I love you," Rachel whispered, her own fingers moving lower.

Quinn placed her left hand next to Rachel's head and propped herself up. "I love you, too," she whispered back, then nipped at Rachel's lower lip. Taking her time, she began sliding her middle and ring fingers into Rachel. As she did so, Rachel's fingers stilled and her back arched up slowly. She kept her pace slow, enjoying the sounds and sight in front of her. Just as she was about to pick up the pace a little, Rachel moved her hand and entered Quinn.

"Fuck," Quinn exhaled into the crook of Rachel's neck.

"You feel so good," Rachel whispered through a labored breath as Quinn's fingers curled up and found her g-spot.

"So do you," Quinn whispered back with just as much difficulty. Rachel's fingers felt so good. She curled them every few times and brought her thumb to Quinn's clit simultaneously, causing Quinn to moan uncontrollably each time. Then the uncontrollable moaning was endless when she started hitting her spot and rubbing her clit simultaneously with each thrust of her hand.

All the while, Quinn was doing something quite similar to Rachel. She'd kept her fingers curled since she found Rachel's spot, but avoided touching anything else. Every time she'd hit it, one of the fingers on Rachel's left hand, that was resting on the back of Quinn's neck, would tap it like a reflex. When Rachel changed what she was doing, Quinn did as well, bringing her thumb up to make contact with that sensitive bud.

As soon as she felt that she felt that knot in her stomach starting to come undone, Quinn lifted her face from Rachel's neck and began to whisper, "I'm so-"

"Me... too," it was barely out of Rachel's mouth and Quinn felt the grip on her neck tighten and the walls surrounding her fingers contract, "Quinn!"

Hearing her name moaned out in ecstasy was all her body needed to let go. Her orgasm spread rapidly to every part of her body, destroying any tension that might have been left and clearing her brain of any thought that wasn't, "Rachel!"

The arm that was propping her up gave out and she landed askew on top of Rachel. "Sorry," she exhaled in reference to landing somewhat hard.

"For what? Giving me the best orgasm I've ever had?" Rachel's head lolled over causing the tips of their noses to skim against each other.

"No," Quinn smiled languidly, "I'm definitely not apologizing for that... wait, really?" That statement hadn't really hit her until she'd commented on it.

"Absolutely," Rachel rubbed their noses together again.

Thinking about it, "Mine too." Quinn could feel her face heating up after admitting it.

"Can we stay like this for a little?"

"You're not squished?" Quinn asked because she was slightly bigger than Rachel.

"My arm is," Rachel said, pulling her arm out from underneath Quinn's thigh, "I love how you feel against me and the pressure of your body."

"Okay," Quinn smiled, her stomach getting that swelling feeling it seemed to get all the time nowadays.

"But just for a little, because we aren't done."

Quinn couldn't see it, but she knew the pouty/smirk was there and when had she ever denied the pouty/smirk?

* * *

**A/N: Hey there! I've been trying to update this all week. I just haven't had time to upload it to FF. But here it is! And the next two should be pretty quick, too. As always, I love reading your comments. Oh and thanks for all of the follows/favorites!**


	23. Terrible Luck

'_Oh god!'_

Quinn opened one of her eyes to peek at the clock on her dresser. It was the perfect new place for it. She barely had to move to see it over Rachel.

7:47 AM.

Monday.

Their day off.

"Who is that?" Rachel asked groggily, burying her face into her pillow.

"I don't know," Quinn groaned and put her face back into the back of Rachel's neck, "if it's really important they'll call back."

Her phone stopped ringing after a few more seconds and Quinn relaxed back into Rachel, relishing in the feel of Rachel's skin against hers. Finally, Quinn could sleep naked like she'd wanted to all summer. Just as she was on her way back to falling asleep, her phone started ringing again.

"I guess it's important," Rachel said with a little sleepy, gravel in her voice as she stretched over to the table that _used_ to be between their beds for Quinn's phone. She didn't even look at the screen as she passed it over her shoulder.

**Jean Hart**

Quinn yawned and cleared her throat before sliding the green box over, "Hello?"

"Hey, Quinn. I'm really sorry to wake you, but Cassandra is in the hospital with gallstones-"

"Come again?" Quinn thought she might have fallen asleep and was dreaming that she just heard the name of the lead in _The Wedding Singer_ and 'is in the hospital with gallstones' in the same sentence.

"She's probably going to be out all week."

"All week?" Quinn gulped down hard and looked at Rachel, who had seemed to have gone back to sleep.

"She's going into surgery tomorrow and she'll need to recover. Do you know what to do?" Jean asked without any annoyance in her tone. She knew that this was Quinn's first time working with understudies.

"Umm yeah, I think so..." she wasn't entirely sure.

"You can either call the rehearsal today or tomorrow, but it's mostly just for Rachel's benefit," Jean was being super helpful and Quinn couldn't have appreciated it more, "You're in charge of the rehearsal. No need to call Bethany in. This is all you."

"I knew that," Quinn breathed out, remembering the class that she learned about this vaguely. Certain processes she was a little hazy on. Understudies was one of them.

"Okay. Everything is going to be fine," Jean assured her, "Rachel's fantastic, not that I have to tell you that. Go back to sleep for a little, you have plenty of time to get things done."

"Have I ever told you that you're the most awesome boss ever?" Quinn asked quietly.

"Just shy of three weeks ago was the last time," Jean laughed through the phone, "Bye, Quinn."

"Bye."

Quinn pressed the big red "End" and tucked her phone under her pillow. She put her arm back around Rachel's bare waist and kissed her shoulder before snuggling back into her favorite place to fall asleep.

"Babe, you're Julia for a week."

"WHAT?"

~~{}~~

After careful consideration, Quinn determined that Tuesday morning was the best time to call the rehearsal. It gave everyone 24 hours notice and she meant everyone. She was going through her scene/character break down and realized that there wasn't a single person that wasn't in a scene with Julia.

There was one goal to this rehearsal: make sure everyone was ready, mainly Rachel.

Quinn really wasn't worried. Everyone knew the show and they were all very professional. What really made her so sure of things was how close everyone was. They'd become somewhat of a family and they had each other's backs. She'd already witnessed it a couple times with dropped lines and quick thinking.

Rachel was nervous. No one else knew it, but Quinn had memorized everything about her and could see it in her smile. It was still as beautiful as ever, but it was missing something. A genuine smile always appeared with an indescribable brightness in her eyes, however today her eyes were a little dim.

She sounded fantastic and her line delivery was spot on. If it weren't for the insert that would be in the program, the audience probably would never be able to tell that she was understudy. That was the point. Because the show must go on, even when the lead is getting a non vital organ removed. Really, Rachel had nothing to worry about. Of course Quinn knocked on the wooden top of her SM desk as she thought that, ever the subscriber to theatre suspicion.

"She'll be fine," Quinn heard the familiar voice of her boss behind her, "Stop shaking your leg like that."

"I know," Quinn spun around in her SM chair towards the voice and was met with two faces instead of one, "Uhh... hi!"

"Quinn, this is Robert Rosenthal," Jean introduced the young-ish man wearing a pair of navy blue flat front shorts, a lime green button up with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of matching Keds.

"It's a pleasure," Quinn got up and extended her hand as she wondered why she was being introduced to this man fifteen minutes before places.

"Jean has told me nothing but wonderful things about you," he said as he shook her hand and Quinn found herself unable to find a response. She really had no idea why this was happening. Robert must have seen this in her expression, "I'm a producer."

"Ooooh..."

"My partner and I are in the process of setting up a workshop for a new musical and we're looking for a stage manager," he said with a gigantic, perfect smile.

"Seriously?" Quinn was absolutely dumbfounded.

"Seriously. It's one of those young, edgy musicals and we're looking to keep it that way inside and out. From what Jean's told me, you're exactly what we're looking for," he shrugged a little and moved a piece of hair that had fallen out of place back into place.

With her mouth agape, Quinn shifted her gaze to Jean who was smiling like a proud mom then back to Robert, "Are you offering me a job?"

"I mean, I want to watch the show and see your work, but for the most part, yes."

"But... I have this..." Quinn looked back to her prompt script and out the window to the stage.

"Oh, the workshop won't be starting until mid-September, maybe even October. Broadway's slow," he chuckled a little, "We'll talk after the show?"

"Uh... yeah!" Quinn answered without any thought whatsoever. He just said 'Broadway.' How could she possibly say 'no?' Even if it wasn't a sure thing... IT'S A WORKSHOP BEING PRODUCED BY BROADWAY PRODUCERS!

"Great! I'll see you in a few hours," he smiled again and held out his hand.

"Okay," Quinn beamed like a fool and shook Robert's hand a little too vigorously.

"Have terrible luck, Quinn," Jean remarked as she gestured for Robert to exit the booth.

"Thanks!" Quinn beamed and when Robert's back was turned mouthed, "Times two."

"You're quite welcome," Jean said with one of those looks that told the recipient just how much the sentiment is meant then followed Robert out of the booth.

Out of compulsion, Quinn looked down at her watch. She had four minutes and fifty-seven... fifty-six... to compose herself before she had to call places, which was good because she was kind of freaking out.

But she still had to call, "Five minutes to places. Places in five."

She hoped that the no one would need her for until she called places because her head was raging with thought. The first thing she thought about after checking the time was Rachel. She couldn't wait to tell her. That thought spiraled into thinking about everyone else that she needed to tell, which turned into, _'I wish I had more time before places so that I could tell everyone!' _ and before she knew it five minutes and seven seconds had passed and it was time for, "Places! Everyone! Places!"

"Jeez, Quinn, are you okay?" Cha Cha came over the headset, "You were seven seconds late."

"Yeah," Quinn didn't even care at the moment, "I'm fantastic."

~~{}~~

Quinn knew that Rachel was good, amazing in fact. She'd seen her in her audition, in rehearsals, letting something fall out every once in a while while she was in their room and earlier that day in the brush up rehearsal. She had no idea that Rachel was actually extraordinary. It might have been that she was a little biased to begin with, but as soon as the notes in _Someday_ started coming out of her mouth, Quinn couldn't believe Rachel was merely an understudy. Every time Rachel was onstage, she almost forgot that she needed to be looking at her book more often than the stage. Rachel's stage presence was mesmerizing and her voice left Quinn with chills. Before it was even intermission, Quinn was sure that she'd somehow fallen even deeper in love Rachel... or maybe she was falling in love with Julia...

No, she was finding that she was incredibly attracted to how talented Rachel was and it was in fact making her fall harder.

She was also finding herself getting a little angry with Will... even though she knew it was 100% not real, but Rachel was just so good...

How had she gone four years in New York City and not been discovered?

Unconventionally beautiful.

The phrase that Rachel had mentioned when Quinn told her that she was beautiful popped into her mind during _If I Told You_, as Julia stood in front of her mirror and played with how her name sounded with both Guglia and Hart.

What a stupid phrase.

Rachel was beautiful. Inside and out. The end. Anyone who said otherwise wasn't paying attention. To anything.

By the time the finale rolled around, Quinn was finding herself undeniably and unbearably attracted to Rachel and her tremendously talented self. If they hadn't been having sex already, _this_ would have been the night that it happened. There was no way that when they left the theater this night that she was going to be able to contain herself.

The audience seemed to love her, too. When she came out for her bow, everyone that wasn't standing before, jumped to their feet and the "Woos" increased two-fold. Quinn was even sure she heard some whistles. The smile on Rachel's face was gorgeous, but the tear that Quinn could see shimmering in the stage lights was priceless.

"Light cue three-fifty-seven: Go," she called once the last actor was off the stage causing the stage lights to dim a little and the house lights to go up, "Great show everyone! See you all in a few hours when we do it all again tomorrow!"

"Rachel was unbelievable!" Cha Cha practically screamed into the headset, "Like, crazy good."

"Yeah, they should fire Cass-"

"Sugar, you can't say that!" Quinn interrupted her before she could finish it.

"Sorry, Aspergers," Sugar gave her unfortunately, legitimate excuse for every wacko thing she said.

"Okay everyone, start closing up shop," Quinn changed the subject quickly, "I'm going off headset now."

She counted four different forms of confirmation and removed her set from her head. After running her fingers through her hair a few times to make sure the headset didn't do too much damage, she quickly put everything in order for the next show, which involved turning her prompt script back to the first page and replacing her pencil to the top of her desk. She switched off the light and the headset, grabbed her bag and pushed in her chair at the same time then started making her way out of the booth.

"Just a sec, Quinn, I'm almost done," Dave said as he was grabbing the cover to the light board.

"Take your time," Quinn lied. Of course she'd rather he already be done so that she could already be on her way downstairs to tell Rachel how much she was in love with her, but that was impossible.

"All set," Dave clapped his hands and rounded his table to the doorway out of the booth, "The spot guys already left."

"Finally, they listened to me. It only took forever for them to," Quinn shook her head as she followed Dave out of the booth and closed the door behind them.

"Eh, tech kids aren't always the most social and I have a feeling they weren't _really_ listening when you were speaking. I'm sure they were only hearing 'pretty girl speaking,' over and over in their heads," Dave chuckled as they descended the stairs.

Quinn rolled her eyes, "Ugh. Why can't all theatre techs be gay like you and Cha Cha?"

"Who would be on stage?" Dave laughed a little.

"Touché," Quinn laughed back as they entered the already completely cleared out orchestra, "I'm going to go check on Matt, you're all set."

Dave was already backing down the aisle before he said, "Thanks, Quinn! See you tomorrow."

"See ya!" Quinn called back, then turned to walk over to the sound booth back center of the orchestra, "How's it going?"

"Just finished. Perfect timing."

"Oh excellent! Go check out with Charlie. See you tomorrow, Matt," Quinn said with more excitement than she wanted to portray.

"Yeah... see you tomorrow," Matt gave her a weird look then shook it off as he wandered towards the stage.

She was just about to start following him when she spotted Jean enter stage left with Robert in tow.

Her eyes widened as she remembered what had happened before the show started and her heart started pounding when she remembered that Robert was going to be paying attention to how the show was being called. She also remembered that she was little late on a few cues because she was so enamored with Rachel.

"Quinn!" Jean called out from the stage.

"Hey," Quinn answered with slight hesitance as she meandered down the aisle towards the stage, "Hi Mr. Rosenthal."

"Robert, Mr. Rosenthal is my husband," he chuckled and Quinn couldn't help but do the same. "Beautifully called show tonight, Quinn," he said with a warm smile and slight flick of his brown, lightly highlighted hair. It was then that she noticed a manila folder in his hand.

"Thanks."

"Jean gave me your resume, I'll be in touch with you in the next couple of weeks. I just have to run things by my partner and the director and everything will be all set," Robert beamed from the stage.

It was happening. She was being handed a job. A second real job.

"I should really get back to my hotel," Robert turned to Jean.

"Thanks for coming, Robbie," she said as she hugged him.

"Well, I always listen when you tell me I have to see something. Thank _you_," he smiled and shook the manila folder in his hand, "Bye, Quinn," he waved as he started walking to back stage left.

"Bye! Thank you!" Quinn called out through her bafflement.

"Left looked pretty clear as I was walking through," Jean said through a smile, waved and exited the stage the way she came.

Quinn stood in the aisle of the orchestra for at least thirty seconds before she snapped out of her reverie and realized that she still had to do her job. She needed to get it done quickly because now she had two things to tell Rachel and one thing to celebrate with.

"Right's all set," Sugar walked onto the stage just as Quinn had gotten to the top of the steps that led to it.

Finally, the world was working in her favor.

"Great," Quinn sighed, "You can go, Sugar."

"Seriously, Rachel should be Julia all the time," Sugar whispered as she passed by Quinn on her way to Charlie to check out.

Quinn simply rolled her eyes and smiled because she felt the same way, she just didn't have the excuse of Aspergers to say it out loud.

"Who's left?" she asked when she got to Charlie's podium.

"Umm... just Blaine, Rachel, Sam, Finn, Brittany and Santana-"

"Just Midget," Quinn heard the distinct voice of one of her best friends. She looked up and there was everyone that Cha Cha had just named minus her girlfriend, "I think she's waiting for you like a sad puppy. It's gross."

"You're gross," was all Quinn could come up with. Not even close to her best, but she was in too good of a mood to come up with anything better.

"Whatever, Q."

"Sam's giving us a ride back," Brittany said as Santana's face contorted a little. Quinn looked and noticed that Brittany's hand was on Santana's back. Clearly she was doing something on the unpleasurable side to Santana, "I think Rachel wants to talk to you about something."

"Thanks, Britt. I'll see you guys later," Quinn waved and refrained from telling them she _needed_ to tell them something. They would have made her tell them right then and there, but she _really_ wanted to tell Rachel first.

"Later, Q!" Santana yelled as she and Brittany followed the boys out the door.

"Will you hurry up and tell your girlfriend that you got a job so I can get out of here?" Charlie said with a huge smile on his face as Quinn lingered at his podium.

"You heard?"

"They were right there, of course I heard," Charlie beamed some more, "Congrats!"

"Thanks," Quinn felt her face heat up a little. She really wasn't all that great at taking compliments. She liked getting them, of course, but she really didn't know how to handle them, "You can go, I can check our names off."

"Thanks," Charlie checked off his own name then threw his bag over his shoulder, "See you tomorrow. Have a great night." Cha Cha winked, chuckled at Quinn's eye roll and left out the stage door.

After laughing to herself for a moment, Quinn started for the stairs that would lead her to the dressing rooms. Just as she got to the door, it swung open away from her and there was the girl she was just on her way to see.

"You were incredible," Quinn let the words fall out immediately as she stepped forward and wrapped Rachel up in a gigantic embrace.

"Really?" Rachel asked quietly and into Quinn's neck.

"Oh, absolutely and I'm so ridiculously attracted to you right now... I mean, I'm always attracted to you, but... do you think you could maybe sing the things you want to say to me every once in a while," Quinn rambled out all of the thoughts that were running through her head at the moment.

"Like... _I think I might have a job come mid-September slash the beginning of October?_" Rachel sang it to a nondescript tune and when she was finished, an excited smile creeped its way onto her lips.

The coincidence in timeframe struck Quinn immediately, "Did you meet Robert?"

"For a workshop?" Rachel's tone got slightly higher to borderline screeching.

"Oh my god, Rachel, we could be working together again!" Quinn got to the screeching level first.

Cue a collective freak out between the pair that included jumping, hugging, arm shaking and finally a face grab that led right into heated kiss.

"I think we should celebrate," Rachel whispered as she pressed her forehead to Quinn's.

"I agree," Quinn answered as she steadied her breathing. Once she was sure it was back to regulation standards, she slipped her hand into Rachel's and pulled her towards Cha Cha's podium.

"The celebration's that way," Rachel threw her thumb towards the stage door.

"I know," Quinn said as she checked their names off, "I'm just following protocol."

"Is it weird that I thought it was sexy that you just said 'protocol?'" Rachel asked then twisted her lips a little.

"No," Quinn smirked, "But don't expect me to use it later."

Through that irresistible pouty/smirk, Rachel said, "Oh, now you will."

~~{}~~

"How do you have time to make these?" Rachel asked as she ran her finger tips down from the bottom of Quinn's bra to the top of her jeans.

"All the time I wasn't having sex for a year?" Quinn breathed out the joke as Rachel lightly dragged her fingernails back down her abs.

"Not gonna lie, I'm pretty damn thankful for your year long frustration," Rachel leaned in as she said it and began sucking on Quinn's collar bone as her hands reached to Quinn's back and worked at unclasping her bra.

"Well," Quinn husked through the intense arousal Rachel was leaving her with, "You should thank yourself for how defined they are at the moment."

"Huh?" Rachel looked up as she discarded Quinn's bra somewhere across the room. Quinn merely quirked up her eyebrow in response, "Oh. Ha! I hope you're not expecting me to be sorry."

Quinn laughed, "Not if you like them."

"Like isn't a strong enough word," Rachel started off sounding sexy but started giggling as Quinn pulled her shirt over her head.

"So," Quinn moved to Rachel's ear and brought her fingers to the clasp of her bra, "You love them."

"I love you," Rachel locked her eyes with Quinn's causing Quinn to just let Rachel's bra fall between them to the floor.

Quinn broke the eye contact just for a moment to look down at Rachel and her own gorgeous form, then back up to her eyes to say, "I love you, too."

"How do you do that?" Rachel asked through a heavy exhale.

Quinn sat down on the bed that had been flush to the back of her knees for a while and started working at the fly on Rachel's shorts. She looked up and asked, "Do what?"

Rachel bit down on her lip as a slight blush rushed into her cheeks. She'd stopped doing it a couple weeks prior, but if she'd wanted to hide it, Quinn's lower positioning made it impossible to do so. "Make me feel so..." she re-bit down on her lip, took a couple breaths, then rolled her eyes, "sexy. My urge to turn the light off is completely gone."

The feeling Quinn had in that instance was something she'd never experienced before. While she was satisfied that she'd succeeded in her own challenge, it went far beyond that. Aside from finally saying the things she felt, she didn't really know how she'd done it, but she sure was happy that Rachel felt the way that she always saw her.

"Well," Quinn pulled down on Rachel's shorts so they'd fall to the floor and brought her lips to Rachel's stomach, "You are." When she looked up to catch Rachel's eye, she inhaled and caught an intoxicating whiff of what was located beneath her. She wanted to taste Rachel so badly, but that was a line that Quinn didn't dare to cross without a major sign from Rachel. She didn't even want to mention it. Rachel had to make that first move, but the moment she did, there'd be no stopping Quinn.

"I think it's the way you look at me," Rachel's voice hitched a little as Quinn's tongue flicked over her nipple. Quinn looked back up at her, "like that... fuck!" In a second Quinn went from sucking Rachel's nipple to lying flat on her back. Rachel had pushed her down and was yanking her jeans off. As her hands fumbled with Quinn's jeans, her tongue was tracing the lines of her abs. "You smell so good," Rachel said between licks.

"I showered today," Quinn laughed and moaned at the same time.

Rachel's eyes shot up and she quirked her eyebrow a little, "I mean _you_ smell so good."

Was that the sign? Did Rachel even know what she was suggesting?

Maybe Quinn could test the waters.

"So do you," Quinn said through a lump that had mysteriously formed in her throat. Rachel stopped her lips in their path to Quinn's chest and looked up with piqued interest as if to dare Quinn to go on. She swallowed at the lump and pulled Rachel down on top of her. If she was going to say this, she needed to have more control over the situation or at least give herself the illusion of being in control because really, Rachel held all of the power in this moment. Quinn flipped their positions, settling in between Rachel's legs and lowering herself so that she could speak into Rachel's neck, "So good that all I want is to know what you taste like."

Quinn watched as all of the air huffed out of Rachel's lungs.

Another sign?

Perhaps she could move her toe a little closer to the line.

She trailed her lips down Rachel's neck, over her collarbone and chest, between her breasts and down her stomach until her chin felt fabric. She stopped there and looked up. Rachel was watching her. It was lazy but attentive and her breathing was quite heavy.

The word 'stop' hadn't come out of her mouth yet and by now, Quinn was determined to taste as much of Rachel as she could until she heard the word, especially now that she could smell her again.

Quinn lowered herself off the bed and heard Rachel gasp as she pushed her legs further apart. Still no 'stop.' She started kissing Rachel's leg at her knee, a safe distance away. Slowly, she licked and sucked her way up until she knew the skin was getting more and more sensitive. She stopped and moved to her other leg. Quiet whimpers began emitting from Rachel, but still no 'stop.' When she reached half way between Rachel's knee and her hip, Quinn paused and said, "Tell me what you want."

"I..." Rachel whimpered.

Quinn kissed the spot where she'd stopped gently, then looked up, "Or don't want." She needed Rachel to know that she wasn't going to push her into anything that she wasn't ready for.

"I don't want," Rachel took a breath and Quinn picked up her head, ready to be told to stop, "you to stop."

"Okay," that didn't entirely answer anything, "what _do_ you want me to do?" She started licking and sucking Rachel's inner thigh again, very slowly making her way to _her_ desired destination. Whether or not it was Rachel's was still undetermined.

"I want..." Quinn could see Rachel nibbling on her lip out of the corner of her eye, "Will you...?"

"No questions," Quinn singsonged into Rachel's thigh.

"I'm new at this!" Rachel snapped quietly causing Quinn's head snap towards her, "I don't know what to say."

"Okay," Quinn smiled reassuringly and placed another kiss on Rachel's thigh. Another lump formed in her throat as she prepared to hurdle herself over the line that had been drawn weeks prior. She took a deep breath and with her head resting on Rachel's inner thigh she asked, "Can I kiss you... here?" she let her finger drag along Rachel's sensitive skin before she let it rest at the apex between her hips.

Rachel nodded.

After letting her bottom lip drag between her teeth, Quinn did just what she was given permission to and kissed the top of Rachel's slit over her underwear. From there she looked up and chanced another step, "Can I kiss you here without these?" she hooked her finger into the waistband of Rachel's underwear.

Rachel nodded. This time her eyes were closed and she was nibbling on her bottom lip. When Quinn's hands went to the waistband, she lifted her butt off the bed and let her take off her underwear. Her underwear that was completely drenched. Quinn actually licked her lips at what was in front of her. She didn't do it on purpose and she wasn't sure if Rachel saw her do it, but she just couldn't help it. Once her lips touched Rachel's skin, she'd know what she tasted like and it was going to be difficult for her not to press on if Rachel said she wasn't ready. She inhaled deeply, taking in Rachel once more then brought her lips to the set that resided between Rachel's legs, letting them linger there a little longer than she had in the previous, clothed kiss.

"More."

Quinn looked up without taking her lips off of Rachel to find her with her eyes closed and her jaw slack. She picked up her head and without even thinking, licked her lips. Her own jaw went slack at what she'd tasted. There was pure Rachel on her tongue and it took everything in her stop herself and ask, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Absolutely," Rachel looked down her torso at Quinn who was hovering, waiting to be told she could go.

And go she did.

Without hesitation, Quinn slipped her arms under Rachel's thighs and pulled her towards her more. She took a moment to gaze at what was in front of her, just long enough to build up a little bit of nerves. This was Rachel's first time. By default it would be the best, but Quinn wanted it to _actually_ be the best. Then she stopped thinking and staring and just started. She pointed her tongue and took her time with the first lick, circling around Rachel's clit, then up it.

"Oh my god!"

Luckily, Quinn's mouth was too busy to tell Rachel that she probably shouldn't be bringing Him into this.

Quinn briefly sucked Rachel's clit between her lips before directing her tongue's ministrations downward. She dipped her tongue into Rachel several times, then zig zagged it back up to her clit.

"Suck on it again," Rachel husked out heavily. Quinn smiled, loving the command and acquiesced. "Fuhhhck," she moaned out and her hand found Quinn's at her hip. Quinn loved that more than the command. It was so intimate. With their fingers entwined on one of Rachel's hips, Quinn figured she could keep her hips under control even if she moved her other hand. It was probably going to be necessary when she did move her hand to another spot. She licked all the way down then back up, where she alternated between licking Rachel's clit with a flat and a pointed tongue. Meanwhile, she brought her index finger to Rachel's entrance. There, she mimicked whatever motion her tongue was making on the often neglected, but incredibly sensitive nerves that reside at the entrance.

Mere syllables elicited from Rachel's throat as she pushed down on her own bucking hips along with Quinn. The only words that Rachel managed to muster were, "Don't stop," "So close," and finally, "Fff-Quinn!"

Quinn looked up and watched as Rachel's back arched, her hand not holding Quinn's nearly ripped the sheets and her whole body twitched for a millisecond. After a moment, Quinn backed off of Rachel's clit with her tongue, bringing it down to where her finger tip had just been. She wanted to taste Rachel for just a little bit longer.

"I..." Rachel started then stopped and Quinn licked back up to her clit, "No! Oh god!" she grabbed Quinn's cheeks and pulled as she sat up.

"W-wait-" Quinn tried to stop her but she wasn't quick enough. Rachel smashed her lips right into Quinn's, slipping on what was left on them.

"That's what it tastes like?" Rachel asked after she'd let the tip of her tongue slide across her lip.

"That's what you taste like," Quinn clarified because she'd yet to taste two people that tasted the same.

"What do you taste like?"

"You could find out-"

It was too late. She'd already said it. She wasn't trying to push anything, it just came out. By the way that Rachel was nibbling nervously on her lip, it looked like she still wasn't ready for that part yet.

"I'm not... maybe..." she huffed and shook her head, "I don't think I'm ready yet..."

"That's okay, beautiful," Quinn whispered and went to kiss Rachel's nose, but was stopped.

"You still have me on your face," Rachel said unabashedly and reached for a tissue on the table next to the beds.

As Quinn wiped her mouth, Rachel took advantage of her vulnerability and switched their positions. She'd probably always be surprised by Rachel's strength. Quinn now found herself on her back with Rachel straddling one of her thighs.

"Your turn. I mean, you deserve something for that unbelievableness you just gave me," she rolled her eyes and shrugged adorably.

"It's not going to take long," Quinn moaned as Rachel's fingers met with her clit.

"What if I wanted it too," Rachel finished with the pouty/smirk, then dipped her fingers down slowly, teasing at Quinn's entrance.

"Please don't," Quinn practically begged. After going down on Rachel, she was nearly there; all she needed was a few little swipes...

"Use 'protocol' in a sentence," Rachel gave a devious smirk and grazed her fingers over Quinn's clit briefly.

"Fuck," Quinn huffed, "I can't believe you want me to say protocol while we're having sex."

"Use it properly," Rachel ordered into Quinn's ear, then bit her neck. Quinn gasped and arched her back at the pleasure she felt in slight pain of being bitten.

As much as she wanted Rachel to touch her, she _really_ loved what Rachel was doing. She was taking being in control to a level she hadn't before. Quinn's job consisted of being in charge and nothing turned her on more than someone being in charge of her. "You being demanding and in control like this, should always be protocol in this room," Quinn husked out the sentence as Rachel licked and cooled whatever marks she'd left behind.

"Perfect," Rachel purred and pressed two fingers hard to Quinn's clit. As she rolled it between her fingers, she moved down Quinn's body, kissing her chest on the way. Quinn was so close. She just needed one tiny thing, but her brain wasn't working and her mouth was too dry to say anything anyways. As soon as she'd thought it, she felt something different. Her nipple was tugged hard between Rachel's lips as she continued rolling Quinn's clit.

Within mere seconds Quinn was experiencing a much more intense release than she was expecting and found it quite difficult to control her body's reaction. It wasn't until she was coming down and breathing through the remnants that she realized she'd dug her nails into Rachel's thigh deep enough that one of them broke the skin. She was about to apologize when she looked up and caught Rachel examining her fingers. After contemplating it for a moment, she brought her index finger to her mouth and licked it with the tip of her tongue. The corner of her lips turned up and she caught Quinn watching her. Keeping eye contact, Rachel put both of her coated fingers into her mouth and didn't remove them until they were clean.

"God you are so incredibly hot I almost can't handle it," Quinn groaned as her body finally relaxed.

Rachel blushed and rediscovered her need to be naked in the dark. After reaching to turn the light off, she settled next to Quinn with her head on Quinn's chest and her arm and leg draped across her.

Quinn kissed Rachel's forehead and whispered softly, "I hope you did that because you're sleepy."

"I can only take so much," Rachel mumbled into Quinn's chest.

"Well, that's going to change," Quinn stated simply and Rachel nuzzled her face into Quinn's chest.

"Ow. I have to move," Rachel lifted herself up and crawled over Quinn to her other side.

"Oh my god, Rach, I'm so sorry," Quinn both moved over and glanced at Rachel's thigh that looked like it might be bleeding in two places now.

"It's okay," Rachel giggled reassuringly, "I... liked it and it makes me feel kind of badass."

She liked it? Quinn stored that tidbit of info into her Rachel folder to reassess later.

"You are badass," Quinn smiled and ran her fingertips over Rachel's hip, "So badass that a Broadway producer wants you in his workshop."

"Quinn!" Rachel pushed herself up so that her face was hovering right over Quinn's, "we could be working together again! How exciting is that?"

"Immeasurably," Quinn laughed out at Rachel's adorableness.

"The whole thing is so surreal. I should probably thank Cassandra... or not. She's not well, it might not make her feel any better. And I probably shouldn't be so grateful for someone else's terrible misfortune," Rachel was ranting and Quinn was simply taking in all of the adorable on display, "And I can't wait to tell my Dads about it when I pick them up tomorrow!"

_'Oh. My. God.'_

* * *

**A/N: Sorry this took so long. Can't wait to hear from you all!**


End file.
